Shatter The Sky
by FairyPalace
Summary: The sky has always been the limit. It takes a few friends to teach Ichigo it's perfectly possible to go beyond that as well. [OC Insert]
1. Episode 1: Enter Ichigo!

**能ある鷹は爪を隠す。**

 **Nō aru taka wa tsume wo kakusu.**

 **Hide your supposed knowledge and prowess until it is requested.**

I ran down the school hallway frantically, scanning every door. My waist-long braids flew behind me as I zoomed across the top floor of the school, checking the signs hung over every classroom doorway. The bell had already rung, and I was very, very late. Finally noticing a sign all the way down the hall, reading "1-A", I sighed in relief. I skidded to a stop in front of the plain grey door, gasping for air. My cheeks were flushed from exertion, and my uniform was in disarray.

Patting down my black, mid-thigh length skirt and straightening my uniform grey jacket, I opened the door. Every eye in the class was focused on me instantly. I blushed in embarrassment, hurrying across the front of the classroom, where a familiarly scruffy man was standing, holding up at blue and white gym uniform.

"M-Mister Aizawa," I whispered, ducking my head to hide behind my bangs. I held out a shaking a hand, clasping a crumpled note. "R-Recovery Girl w-wanted m-my help in th-the nurses' office." I explained quietly, desperately trying to ignore the prying eyes of my new classmates.

Mister Aizawa snatched the note from my hand, reading the pink-slip of paper quickly. He then crunched it into a ball and casually tossed it into the trash can next to his desk. "Alright then," he said. "I've been waiting for you anyways. We're going out to the athletics field," he handed me the gym uniform in his hands, along with the clipboard on his desk. "Kurosaki, you're in charge." I gulped, clutching the clip board to my chest as the other students gasped, examining me curiously.

One kid, who had bright yellow hair with a black streak, whispered to his seatmate, "Is she a teachers' assistant or something?" I blushed in humiliation, hiding my face behind the clipboard.

Mister Aizawa, undeterred, simply started towards the door. "Let's get going," he urged apathetically. "If you take longer than twenty minutes to change and get to the field, I'm dropping you from the course," he turned around, smiling garishly with dead eyes, and held up a sleek black device. On the screen, I could see a timer reading 19:58. "The timer's already started."

I gaped at him, as the other students jumped to their feet, rushing out the door. I watched them zoom by, narrowly avoiding being knocked over by the hurrying crowd. After most of them had cleared out, I tip-toed forward timidly. Mister Aizawa was still standing outside the classroom, observing the last of the students run away.

I narrowed my eyes at him sternly. "Mister Ai-Aizawa," I stammered, crossing my arms. "Th-the athletics f-field is only f-five m-minutes f-from here max. Y-you just made th-them all panic over n-nothing."

Mister Aizawa shrugged, canceling the timer and pocketing the device. "It's a rational deception," he excused, before adding pointedly. "Now they definitely won't be late." I blushed, clenching my fists.

"M-Mister Ai-Aizawa! Th-there was an e-emergency! O-one of th-the support department's m-machines m-malfunctioned, and several s-students w-were injured!" I informed him, outraged. "A-and anyways, I'm r-running your t-test, s-so don't be m-mean!" I spun around, storming down the hall, stomping as I went.

I reached the girl's locker room soon enough, and slipped inside. The other girls had already changed and rushed out to the field, hurrying to avoid Mister Aizawa's inane threat, so I could switch into my gym uniform in peace. Leaving my folded school uniform in a bottom locker, I exited the locker room, straightening my uniform as I went.

The other students had already gathered at the edge of the athletics field, talking amongst themselves. They went silent as I walked by, eyeing me suspiciously, and my cheeks turned red all over again. Bitterly, I noted that I was the shortest kid in the class, save for a boy with purple bubbles for hair. I was only 134 centimeters tall, however, so that wasn't surprising.

I scanned the clipboard, memorizing the various activities to distract myself as I waited for Mister Aizawa to arrive. The black-haired man finally exited the school building five minutes later, the last person to arrive. I glared at him sullenly, wondering how hypocritical he could get.

Striding to the middle of the softball throw, Mister Aizawa faced the class. The class was quick to gather around him, and I rushed over as well, taking a spot standing next to Mister Aizawa reluctantly.

"We'll be having a Quirk Assessment Test," Mister Aizawa began abruptly, yanking the rug out from under the entire class' feet.

"A QUIRK ASSESSMENT TEST?!" They repeated loudly, wide eyed and shocked. I rolled my eyes, hiding my amused smile behind the clipboard. Mister Aizawa's bad habits were amusing, if I wasn't the butt of his joke.

A brunette girl with rosy cheeks big eyes stepped out of the crowd, eyebrows wrinkled in frustration. "But what about the ceremony?" She protested. "What about the guidance counselor meetings?!" She sounded distraught.

Mister Aizawa stared at her, unimpressed with the interruption. "If you want to be a hero, you won't have time for frilly niceties. You all understand the school's reputation for freedom on campus," his eyes glittered evilly, mouth spreading in a Cheshire-cat grin again. "That 'freedom' goes for us teachers too." He gestured to the athletics field behind him. "The softball pitch, standing long-jump, 50-meter dash, endurance running, grip strength, sustained sideways jump, upper body exercises, and seated toe touch." These are all activities you know back from middle-school, naturally," he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Physical tests where you were barred from using your quirks. The country still hasn't gotten around to standardizing those sorts of records - well, that's mostly negligence on the part of MEXT." He stopped in front of a blonde boy, with an aggressive frown on his face. "Bakugo, how far could you pitch a softball in middle school?"

Bakugo glared at Mister Aizawa with dull red eyes, unhappy at being singled out. "67 meters," he grunted.

Mister Aizawa pointed towards the softball throw. "I want you to try using your quirk this time," he instructed, tossing Bakugo a ball. "As long as you don't exit the circle, anything you do is fine. Don't hold back."

Bakugo looked pumped at the idea of "anything goes." He grasped the ball in both his hands, lifting his arms over his head. "You got it," he said, reeling back. Then, he snapped forward, ball flying from his hand and into the air, propelled by a humongous explosion. " _ **DIIIIEEEEEE!**_ " He screamed furiously. The following shockwave blew my hair out of my face, my braids flapping behind me. My eyes were glued wide in shock, and I gripped the clipboard so tight my knuckles turned white. Had he just said _die_?

The ball soared through the air, until it finally vanished in the distance. A soft beep echoed from the device in Mister Aizawa's pocket. He checked it, expression unchanging, before revealing Bakugo's score to the class. "705.3 meters," he announced, before continuing. "Before anything else, one must know what they're capable of. This is the rational metric that will form the base of your 'hero foundation'." I stared at the number on the screen in stunned silence. Bakugo's display of raw power was awesome, and a bit terrifying.

"AWESOME! That looks so fun!" Someone shouted from the back of the crowd. The other students were quick to start adding their own excited comments, getting hyped for their new assignment. I bit my lip, remembering what Mister Aizawa had told me the day before during my hand-to-hand drills. He would be using today to determine who was worth teaching, and would drop anyone he thought wasn't.

"It looks… fun?" He repeated chillingly, and I sighed, knowing what was coming next. "Do you plan to spend your next three years having a good 'ol time? What happened to becoming heroes?" He continued, sounding very, very menacing. "New rule then: the student who ranks last will be judged ' _hopeless'_ , and instantly _expelled_." There was no excited muttering this time, as the entire class stared at Mister Aizawa in horror. "Our 'freedom' as teachers means we can dispose of students as we please!" Mister Aizawa announced, grinning again. "Welcome to the Department of Heroics! Your test starts now!" There was a moment of silence, while the students waited with anticipation for their instructions. Mister Aizawa looked to me, extending his remote that only teachers were supposed to touch.

I inhaled deeply, preparing myself. Stepping forwards and taking the remote, I turned to the class, doing my best to hide my shaking hands. "W-w-will everyone p-please s-split into p-pairs," I stammered, having already planned out how to run each test. "O-once you h-have a g-group, g-g-go to one of th-th-the stations. Y-you can b-begin i-immediately, m-move in a c-clockwise r-r-rotation." As the class broke into groups, chattering anxiously, I glared again at Mister Aizawa over my shoulder. He had somehow summoned his yellow sleeping bag from out of nowhere, and was making himself comfortable in the middle of the field, ignoring my baleful stare. He knew I despised being the center of attention, and naturally decided that exposure therapy was the proper response.

Mister Aizawa could be very sadistic, at times.

* * *

Being in charge of the exercises wasn't all that difficult. Machines did most of the work. A timer told the students when to rotate to the next exercise, motion sensors recorded their scores. My job was just to oversee everything, and get involved if there were complications. Watching the device screen update again, I scanned the numbers. I noticed several incredible scores on the list – the most markedly being Ochako Uraraka reaching infinity on the softball throw – and several underperforming students. I didn't want Mister Aizawa to expel anyone on the first day. Frowning, I followed the scores of Izuku Midoriya, who was performing poorly.

"Hey, excuse me?" I looked up in surprise to see a tall boy with spiky red hair. He was looking at me curiously. "Uh, I'm Eijiro Kirishima. You're the teacher's assistant, right?"

I bit my lip, and shook my head. "I-I'm n-not actually. M-Mister Aizawa just l-likes avoiding w-work," I explained softly, ducking my head to hide my reddening face.

"Oh!" Kirishima's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? But then, why don't you have to take the test with the rest of us?"

I fidgeted nervously, not really wanting to answer. "I'm a s-scholarship student, s-so I t-took a q-quirk a-assessment to g-get into the school th-this s-summer," I stuttered. "M-Mister Aizawa s-saw m-my test, s-so he doesn't n-need to s-see me perform again." I shuddered, remembering how scary the final stage of my scholarship exam had been, and how close I had been to failure.

* * *

 _I stood in the middle of the testing room anxiously. Applying for the Yuuei Scholarship Program was very difficult. I had already managed to pass the paper exam and combat exam, which required I display both "academic and physical excellence". The final test was the Quirk Assessment. I would display my quirk to one of the teachers, and they would determine my eligibility._

 _Tightening my fists inside my giant black coat, I tried to keep from shaking. Yuuei's scholarship program had a 0.001% acceptance rate, despite the thousands of applicants every year. If they were only assessing quirk abilities, there would be more who passed. There was something more to the final test, but I couldn't figure out what._

 _The door hidden in the far corner clicked open. I flinched reflexively, soft green eyes glued to the man stepping inside. His hair was long and messy, and around his neck there was a large scarf. My hands reached up to grab my own scarf compulsively. Although the man seemed relaxed, his eyes were quick and sharp. I shivered, feeling his gaze cut through me. In this man's presence, I felt insignificant._

 _"_ _You're Ichigo Kurosaki," he began, sounding utterly disinterested. I nodded frantically, shrinking into my jacket. "Your quirk is listed by the examiners as 'self-healing'. It doesn't specify. You don't name your quirk in your paperwork either."_

 _I winced at the all too accurate statement. "Ah-um, yes," I stuttered, eyes flicking around the room anxiously. I fidgeted nervously. "My q-quirk is r-related to healing-"_

 _"_ _It doesn't matter." The man cut me off, disinterested tone becoming hostile. "You won't become a hero." I recoiled at the teacher's harsh tone, shoulders slumping immediately at the rejection. "You have no confidence in your abilities. Working as a hero would be impossible, you would be taken down by the media or a villain in no time, if you even survived Yuuei's education." He turned away, walking towards the door as I shook in fear. "Go home kid."_

 _Those final three words stopped my trembling. I had left my home to come here, I couldn't turn back. This was my last hope, and this man was ready to turn me away before I could ever even start! "Y-you didn't let m-me f-finish speaking!" I protested, hands clenching into fists at my sides._

 _He paused in front of the door. "I don't have to," he turned, one hand still holding the door knob. "You aren't hero material."_

 _"_ _I th-think I am," I disagreed angrily. "M-my quirk is Mitotic R-Regeneration, w-which I can share t-too. I_ know _I scored p-perfectly on th-the academic exam, and I p-placed f-fourth in the c-combat trials."_

 _The man let go of the door handle, facing me fully. "Placing fourth isn't all that stellar," he pointed out dully._

 _"_ _F-fighting c-can be taught, and m-my academic s-scores p-prove I learn quickly," I negated firmly. "A-and as f-for m-my attitude—" I inhaled, lifting my chin and narrowing my eyes. "I d-don't think you were r-right at all!"_

 _There was a moment of silence, where the man scanned my ready posture and I held my breath. Then he bared his teeth in an imitation of a smile. It reminded me of a shark. "I suppose not. You_ do _have potential." He strode forward, looming over me with all the presence of a predator about to strike. "You want to be hero? Consider yourself part of the program. My name is Shouta Aizawa," I just barely stopped myself from flinching at the fire in his eyes. "I'll be sponsoring your education."_

* * *

Kirishima nodded, appearing thoughtful. "That's pretty cool," he said, before noticing that his groupmate had moved on. "Sorry, I gotta go! It's my turn for the long jump! It's nice to meet you…" he looked at me expectantly.

I blinked in surprise. "I-Ichigo Kurosaki," I answered his unspoken question unsurely. "It's n-nice t-to meet you t-too, Kirishima." The red head grinned, running off, and I stared at him in bewilderment, before returning to my task of grading.

Several minutes later, while watching the scores continue to grow and change, I heard a furious scream. I flinched, spinning around with my hands up defensively, only to see Mister Aizawa restraining Bakugo, who was reaching towards a green haired boy in vain. "DEKU, YOU LIAR!" He shouted, eyes burning with hatred. I shuddered at the rage in his red eyes, turning around to let Mister Aizawa deal with the problem. I noted the green haired boy's damaged finger, before returning by eyes to the device screen. My eyes widened in shock, and I shot back around to stare at the green haired boy. That was Midoriya?! He had just thrown a softball 705.4 meters!

"Get back to work," Mister Aizawa ordered, releasing Bakugo. His eyes met mine, and I nodded slowly, this time forcing myself to slowly turn around again. If Midoriya scored last, I'd have to speak to Mister Aizawa. I didn't think he should fail, he had potential. Flipping through the scores, I wondered how I could convince Mister Aizawa to let Midoriya pass.

* * *

Finally, the tests wrapped up. I handed the remote over to Mister Aizawa, who's fingers quickly skimmed the screen, before a projection of the final scoreboard appeared in the air. The other students scanned it for their own names curiously, muttering in disappointment or cheering triumphantly. I tensed, eyes locked on the last name. Izuku Midoriya had come in last.

"Oh, yeah, that whole 'expulsion' thing was a lie," Mister Aizawa announced randomly. The entire class fell silent, and I gaped at him, flabbergasted. I had read his teacher's record a few weeks ago, he was lying! Last year, he'd expelled an entire class of students! Meanwhile, Mister Aizawa smiled savagely. "It was a logical ruse, to bring out your best performances." I sighed, shaking my head, and resigned myself to a year of Mister Aizawa's little "pranks". "And… right. Yep, with that, it's over," he strolled over to the Midoriya. "Your curriculum sheets are back in the classroom, so give them a once over. And Midoriya," Mister Aizawa extended a paper slip to the boy. "Go to Recovery Girl and get yourself patched up." Midoriya accepted the paper shakily.

The other students were quick to clear out of the area. I waited for them to leave, before walking up behind Midoriya. Anxiety bubbled in my stomach, but I wanted to help him. I tapped him on the shoulder. "Um, e-excuse me?"

Midoriya spun around, eyes wide. "W-wha-?!"

"S-sorry!" I squeaked, surprised by his speed. We both stared at each other for a moment, before I mustered up the courage to speak, face hot. "Um, y-your hand! C-can I see it?" Midoriya nodded frantically, holding out his uninjured hand. "Y-your other hand," I corrected.

Midoriya extended his hand, blushing even brighter. Gently, I reached out and grasped his wrist. Closing my eyes, I concentrated, imagining lighting a torch in my gut. Opening my eyes, I focused on pushing that energy into Midoriya. There was a moment of silence, and then a curl of steam floated up. Midoriya's hand was completely healed, small bits of white vapor rising from newly healed the skin.

The green haired boy looked at his finger, dumbfounded, then held his hand up in front of his face. "HUH?!" He screeched, stunned. "Wait, how did you-?!"

My face turned redder than an apple. "It-It's my quirk, p-please d-don't be loud about it," I begged, scanning the area for any straggling students. "I j-just didn't w-want you t-to m-miss class, and m-my quirk isn't t-taxing like R-Recovery Girl's!"

"Oh," Midoriya was quietly shocked. Then, he bowed, making me stare at him in surprise instead. "Thank you, Miss Kurosaki!"

"Ah!" I held my hands up, waving them desperately. "N-no, it's o-okay! Y-y-you d-don't need to b-bow!"

Midoriya straightened, also flushed. "Right!"

A far-off laugh caused us both to turn. A pretty brunette was standing a few feet away, eyes bright as she giggled. We both turned red as fire-hydrants, trying to stammer out excuses. She waved her hands at us placatingly. "No, you're fine! It's just - your conversation was adorable! You're both so shy!" Midoriya and I shifted awkwardly, and the girl stepped forward, smiling at _me_. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Kurosaki! I'm Ochako!"

"Oh-um, Ichigo Kurosaki," I winced, hoping this girl wasn't an anime fan. Luckily, she didn't notice.

"Your quirk is really cool! You fixed Izuku's hand like that!" Ochako snapped her fingers to emphasize.

I pressed my hands to my cheeks, mumbling, "Th-thank you," sheepishly. There was a pregnant pause, and then I rushed out, " _PleasecallmeIchigo_!"

Ochako didn't hesitate. "You got it, Ichigo!" She turned to Midoriya. "And Izuku-kun, are you okay?"

Midoriya's face was still red, and he flinched in surprise. "H-huh? Y-y-yeah!" He stuttered. "I-I'm f-fine!" He turned to me. "Th-thank you a-again, Ichigo! Y-you can c-call me Izuku!" I smiled nervously in response.

"MISS KUROSAKI!" I turned to see a tall, black haired boy stomping forwards, glasses flashing. "TRULY MISS KUROSAKI, YOUR QUIRK IS AMAZING!" My face turned red, and I started to panic as the boy stormed towards me. My head swirled, and my ears felt hot. I broke into a cold sweat as my vision narrowed. The time I'd spent being stared at was catching up with me, as the boy grew closer.

Ochako peered at me in concern. "Ichigo, are you all right? You look kind of… dizzy."

My palms were cold and clammy. My mouth felt dry. "I-I'm f-f-fine-" I tried to lie, as my heart thumped erratically in my chest. My eyes rolled back, and I crumpled to the ground.

* * *

 _At my elementary school, there was an old wooden swing in the back of the playground. It was old and rusted, and every time it moved it creaked and groaned. None of the other children wanted to use it, calling it haunted and scary, so it was my favorite place to spend recess. From the swing, I could see the entire play field. It was the best spot to watch the other children play heroes and villains. I could see all the children pretending to be villains in their hiding places. I could see the kids playing as heroes start searching for the villains. I could even see the teacher, who sat on the bench against the school wall, observing the game like me._

 _The children playing the heroes weren't very good at searching for people. One girl picked up a rock and looked under it, calling out, "Bad guy, bad guy! Where are you?" I had to cover my mouth to hide my giggles. Another child climbed atop the slide and_ demanded _the villains come out, so he could catch them. I watched the spectacle from my swing, wondering how idiotic my classmates could be._

 _I glanced towards the world past the playground fence. There was a road, where I could see cars zoom by in blurs of color. My eyes widened as I saw a cat run into the middle of the street. It had a dirty black coat, and no collar, so I knew it was a stray. I jumped off the swing, urgently darting over to the fence and clutching the wooden posts, fitting my head between the bars. The cat was dodging the cars, taking its time before passing each lane. I grinned triumphantly, thinking it would make it across the road safely despite everything – and then another car came by. There was a dull thud, and the metal monster moved on, ignoring the bloody, gory mess it left behind._

 _I stared at the red, furry scramble of bones and blood left behind for a moment, stunned. The smile slipped off my face. I stepped away from the fence, forcefully turning my back on the cat's crushed corpse. I shuffled back to the swing, hands coming up to tug at my choppy black hair, barely long enough to brush my ears. With every pull, I stopped tears from welling up in my soft, sea green eyes._

 _Of course, the cat hadn't made it across the street. It was a stray, forgotten and unwanted. People didn't notice forgotten, unwanted things. Sitting back down on the swing, I stared at the ground morosely. I was a lot like the cat, I realized. I promised myself fiercely I would never forget watching that animal die._

* * *

I woke up to a white ceiling and bright lights. I smacked my lips, noticing how dry and sand-papery my mouth felt. Covering my eyes from the painfully bright lights, I pushed myself up into a sitting position. I scanned the familiar nurses' office blearily, searching for Recovery Girl. I instead spotted a yellow sleeping bag, propped up against the wall.

"It's been about fifteen minutes," Mister Aizawa observed without opening his eyes, as if he was pretending to be asleep. "You fainted again."

I shrunk inwards, disappointed by myself and frightened. "I'm s-sorry, M-Mister Aizawa. It w-won't h-happen again," I whispered.

Mister Aizawa opened his eyes to look at me sternly. "You need to adjust to others watching you. Being a hero means being in the public eye, even for underground heroes like me," When I didn't raise my head, he sighed. "It's fine for now, but you need to adjust. Deactivate your quirk as well, you're steaming up the room." He slouched at the door, waving at me vaguely. "See you tomorrow, Ichigo."

I watched him go, biting my lip in frustration. I had failed again. I had disappointed the only person who had ever believed in me. I turned off my quirk, watching steam continue to pour off my skin. I had toed the line of my time limit. Any longer and my body would've overheated.

I clenched the white hospital-bed sheets, feeling my index finger pulse painfully. Squinting my eyes shut, I suppressed the urge to cry. Standing slowly, I shuffled out of Recovery Girl's office before she could return, and confine me to the bed for longer. I cradled my throbbing hand carefully. It felt like my finger was being torn to shreds, and I wondered how Izuku subjected himself to this suffering willingly. He was a fool… and I was a fool for healing him.

* * *

 _ANSWERING YOUR COMMENTS BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE THEM:_

Yes, I understand that my character's name is Ichigo Kurosaki, and that this matches the main character of Bleach.

No, this was not an accident. It was intentional and has narrative relevance.

This story is not a cross-over. I did not tag it as one for that reason.

I am new to fanfiction writing, so if you have any suggestions or constructive criticisms to offer, I'm all ears. I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing!

Thanks, Fairy P.


	2. Episode 2: The Trial of Battle!

**石の上にも三年**

 ** _Ishi no ue nimo san nen_**

 **It takes a long time sitting on a stone before it becomes warm. Expect to work at something for three years before you see results.**

I woke up the next morning shivering. Pulling my overly large black coat around myself like a blanket, I huddled further inward in a vain attempt to preserve warmth. Unfortunately, the night before had been particularly cold, and I hadn't been ready for the unusual temperatures. Teeth chattering, I wondered when I would finally be able to head to school. It was likely that they would start serving breakfast next week - today was only the second day, after all - so I would have to wait a little longer for my free morning meals. Perks of being a scholarship student, I suppose.

Sitting up, I hunched over to avoid bumping my head on the roof. I blindly reached out for my toothbrush and paste, feeling only marginally guilty for stealing a new set last week. Toothpaste was a necessity if I planned to have good dental hygiene, and I needed good dental hygiene. Quickly cleaning my teeth, I spit out of the little window I had cut into one of the walls a long time ago. Now fully awake, I lifted my uniform out from under my pillow, happily noting that the material was clean and unwrinkled. My hair was still braided from the day before. Dressing quickly, I wrapped my faded red scarf around my neck multiple times.

Crawling out of my cardboard box, I quickly packed up my belongings in a small duffel bag, collapsing the box and tucking it inside as well. Turning, I exited the alley with a wide smile. I was ready to face my second day at Yuuei Academy.

* * *

I climbed out of the bus with a relieved sigh. The person I had been sitting next to had smelled odd, and stared at me a little too closely for comfort. Starting towards Yuuei, which was a few more blocks away, I tucked my face beneath my scarf. It was still far too cold - I hoped it would warm up soon, or tonight I'd be forced to move. I liked the flower-shop I was hiding behind a little too much, and moving would be unpleasant. I doubted I would be able to find such a quiet, people-free spot anywhere else.

"Ichigo!" A familiar voice shouted. I turned, eyes widening, to see Ochako running towards me, waving her hand wildly. I slowed to a halt, waiting for the brunette to catch up. "Hey Ichigo," Ochako huffed, finally reaching my side. "It's cool that you're here! Do you leave nearby?"

I flushed at the unexpected question. "N-no," I stuttered out, hands fidgeting with my jacket sleeves automatically. "Th-the bus stops n-near here th-though."

Ochako smiled brightly. "Really? I should meet you there tomorrow, we could walk to school together," she then paused for a moment, looking at me inquiringly. "Would that be okay with you?"

I nodded immediately. "Y-yeah!" I then blushed violently at my outburst. That had been far louder than I'd intended!

Ochako laughed cheerfully, unaffected. "Great!" The brunette continued to chatter on about what she thought Yuuei would be like, and occasionally brought me into the conversation by asking questions about what I thought about our classes. I smiled softly from behind my scarf, suddenly feeling much warmer. This, I thought happily, must be what having a friend is like.

Then a cool breeze blew by, and the moment died. Shivering, I tried desperately not to fall behind. Damn Ochako's long legs, I was not equipped for this sort of speed!

* * *

Yuuei Academy, it turned out, was surprisingly normal. I hadn't had any problems with the curriculum, which had already taken off at a rapid pace (it was actually far too easy). The time I had wasted studying random topics in the library had paid off in almost every class. Lunch, however, had been a far more marvelous affair. As a scholarship student, I had been given a certain number of credits for food each month. I had never had such good food before, or so much!

Sitting down next to Ochako, I visibly salivated over my gigantic pile of food. Ochako had taken a healthy helping herself, but I had heaped on all the rice and meats I could fit on the plate. "Th-this is awesome," I whimpered, making grabby motions with my chopsticks. Ochako laughed, batting my hands away.

"Be polite, Ichigo," she scolded, sounding more amused then upset. She clapped her hands together. "Itadakimasu!"

I blinked in surprise. I hadn't had to use "manners" in some time. "Oh-um, I-itadakimasu!" I mimicked, slapping my hands together and promptly attacking my food. Ochako watched me eat in horror, but I really couldn't be bothered. I had food! I had rice, and chicken, and carrots, and more!

"Uhhh… Ichigo?" I paused mid-bite, turning to see an aghast Midoriya. The green haired boy was staring at me in astonishment, or at least a new light.

I blushed, swallowing my current mouthful. I waved sheepishly. "H-hey, Izuku…" I mumbled, unable to make eye contact. Maybe I had been slightly overwhelmed by the free gourmet meal - it had certainly killed my common sense.

Ochako wasn't so bothered by the nervous tension in the air. "Hello, Izuku-kun! I've been trying to keep Ichigo from storming the cafeteria," she smiled sweetly, and I almost couldn't be upset with her. As it was, I pouted viciously.

"Th-the food is really g-good th-though!" I defended, twiddling the tips of my braids.

Izuku nodded slowly, sitting down next to Ochako. "Yeah, it is," I grinned at him shyly, happy that someone was on my side.

"Miss Kurosaki!" I flinched, turning in my chair cautiously to see Iida Tenya standing ramrod straight. I looked at him in terror. "I wanted to apologize for causing you such upset yesterday!" His glasses flashed, and then he bowed, making me jump again. "Please accept my sincerest apologies for any discomfort you have faced because of my actions!"

My face felt hot, and I waved my hands frantically in a placating manner. "O-oh n-no! It's f-fine! I f-f-faint a l-lot a-anyways! Y-you d-d-didn't do anyth-thing w-wrong!" I was barely understandable, since the more anxious I became the worse my stutter got. I hoped that Iida would sit down or go away, because people were starting to stare at our table oddly.

Iida straightened. "Of course, Miss Kurosaki! Are you sure you aren't injured?" I found myself smiling, because the gesture was sweet. He was honestly concerned for my health, and that was pretty rare for me, especially considering my quirk.

"I'm f-fine, Iida," I said cheerfully. "Thanks for the c-concern! Please call me Ichigo, though. Miss Kurosaki is very formal."

Iida nodded thoughtfully, sitting down in the chair next me. "Indeed, Ichigo. Then it would only be right for me to extend the same privilege. Please call me Tenya." His wording was rigid, but I appreciated the gesture.

"O-okay, Tenya!" I chirped, facing forwards again. I picked up my chopsticks, and then paused. Izuku and Ochako were smiling peculiarly. I frowned suspiciously at them. "Hey," I pointed my chopsticks accusingly, "what're y-you looking at?"

Izuku and Ochako both jumped in surprise, shaking their heads. "Nothing!"

I continued to look at them for a moment, before shrugging and returning to my food. Iida commented on my "zealous attitude" to the school's "truly stupendous cuisine!", and I became so busy in my conversation with him that I missed them both sighing in relief.

* * *

Skipping down the hall towards my final block of the day, I wondered what wonderful thing we would be doing next. After yesterday's scare, I had been worried Yuuei would be horrible; but in reality it was very fun! Mister Aizawa was just really sadistic, I supposed.

Landing awkwardly on one foot, I toppled forward, bumping into someone's arm. I yipped in surprise, jumping backwards. "I'm sorry-!" I squeaked, ready to bow in apology.

"Shut up!" Bakugo snarled, glaring at me viciously. I gulped, feeling myself start to tremble. The blonde looked more than ready to murder me for running into him.

"I'm v-very s-sorry," I repeated, voice meek and soft. "I-I w-will be m-more c-c-careful." I ducked my head, hoping Bakugo wouldn't really attack.

He only seemed more infuriated by my apology. "Yeah, you'll be more careful! Watch where you're fucking going!" There was a moment of silence, where Bakugo loomed over my shaking form, before the blonde stalked off towards our home classroom. I watched him leave, eyes still rounded in shock and fear.

"Kacchan isn't always very nice," I flinched, spinning to see Izuku. The green haired boy appeared very sympathetic. "I'm sorry for his behavior." I nodded cautiously, wondering why Izuku was the one apologizing to me, and not the temperamental blonde.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I-it's fine," I mumbled, fiddling with my braids. "L-let's just g-get to class." I shuffled forward slowly, and Izuku stepped in line with me as we trailed in Bakugo's wake. It's fairly poetic, I mused sarcastically, Even in hero school, the quiet ones fall behind, and bully's charge ahead.

Slipping through the doorway, I returned to my desk, watching Izuku sit ahead of me. Pulling out my notebook, I quietly doodled, pushing thoughts of Bakugo and his attitude from my mind. I had better things to focus on, like what Mister All Might would have them do for "Basic Hero Training."

"I AM HERE," The door slammed open, surprising me so much that I squealed loudly, pen flying from my hands. "THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!" Dramatically, All Might, hero of heroes, entered the room, proudly making his way to the front. He was in a brightly colored costume, and his bangs stood atop his head. I looked remarkably similar for moment, braids standing up straight on my head as I shook in fear. The rest of the class broke out into excited muttering, marveling at their new teacher.

Izuku turned around, appearing very concerned when I didn't stop shaking. "Ichigo, it's fine," he whispered, eyes bright with excitement. "That's All Might!"

"Y-y-y-yeah…" I stammered, pulling my braids down to hide my face and slipping down in my seat. "I-I d-d-don't th-think I-I-I l-like h-him v-v-very m-m-m-much," I didn't like loud people. They were scary, like Bakugo. All Might seemed incredibly loud, with his booming voice and wide gestures. He was going to terrify me for the rest of the year, I could just tell. Izuku looked so scandalized at the thought of someone not liking All Might, I almost felt guilty.

Then the Pro Hero began to talk again, and that guilt died. "IT'S ME!" All Might shouted, spinning to face the class as his cape flew out behind him. "For this class, we'll be building up your hero foundation through various trials! Basic Hero Studies, welcome to," He whipped out a white card grandly. "THE TRIAL OF BATTLE!"

The class looked very enthusiastic at the idea of fighting each other. Contrastingly, the energy drained right out of me, and I laid my face on the desk in sadness. I changed my mind, Yuuei was not awesome. It was awful, horrible, terrible, scary, bad, mean -

"And to go with you into your first battle," All Might continued, spreading his arms widely. "We've prepared the gear requests you sent in earlier to match your quirks!"

The other students stood up, cheering. "AWESOME! OUR BATTLE GEAR!" Izuku was one of the first to stand up, charging towards the shelving that had popped out of the wall earlier with the rest of the crowd. I sat at my desk, radiating an aura of depression. I hated combat training with a burning, fiery passion. Mister Aizawa, as incredible of a teacher as he was, did not believe in pulling punches. "A villain won't hold back," he'd pointed out during our first session, as if that was an excuse for sending me flying with a single kick. His methods worked though, which made it even harder to accept.

Ochako glanced back at me from the bustling crowd of students trying to reach the shelves. "Ichigo, c'mon!" She waved joyfully, glowing with happiness. My mood only darkened, and I continued to sit in my chair sullenly. Unfortunately, Ochako decided to walk over and haul me from my seat, dragging me towards the shelves, chattering happily. Her attitude was not contagious.

* * *

"Ichigo, please come out," Ochako pleaded from outside the changing room. "You can't sit in there forever!" I stared at the floor-length mirror in front of me, eyebrow twitching. I held out my arms and turned slightly, and the twitch grew worse.

As a scholarship student, I was already committed to an agency. That also meant that my actions and image would reflect on the agency. Ordinarily, when a hero joined an agency, their uniform and public profile would be carefully shaped to fit what the agency wanted; however, I didn't have a preexisting image. As a result, Mister Aizawa's agency had designed my first uniform.

At least, I thought dryly, they half-listened when I said nothing revealing. My new uniform consisted of a tight black body-suit and steel-toed boots. Over the body-suit, I had a loose black jumper, that covered my shoulders and extended just below mid-thigh. The only skin revealed was my face and hands, and the jumper didn't cling like the body suit, but the implication was there. I glared daggers into the mirror.

"Ichigo!" Ochako called again, and with an irritated huff, I spun around and slammed the door open. "Finally, I thought - oh," Ochako stared at me for a moment, lost, and I blushed angrily.

"I-I c-c-can't b-believe th-this!" I fumed, cheeks growing even hotter in humiliation. "Th-this isn't m-m-modest at a-all!" I hurried back into the changing room, determined to put on my uniform again and just suffer the consequences. Ochako grabbed my arm before I could.

"Your costume is fine, I promise," she said earnestly, eyes wide. "I was surprised, because it didn't seem your style, but you look good- better than good, actually!" She stepped back, and I reluctantly refused to retreat. Ochako gestured at her own costume. "Mine didn't come out just like I wanted either, so you aren't alone. It's way too puffy."

I sighed, flipping up the hood of the costume to better hide my face. "M-maybe," I muttered. "But I didn't d-design m-mine, which m-makes it w-worse."

Ochako blinked in surprise. "You didn't design your costume? Why?"

"I'm a s-scholarship s-student," I answered half-heartedly, starting towards the door. Ochako didn't look like she understood, but I wasn't in the mood to explain. I grabbed the door handle, ready to leave and face the class, and then paused. I turned back around, opened the gym locker, and dragged out my duffel bag. I shuffled through it, ignoring Ochako's confused glances.

After a few moments, Ochako got tired of waiting. "Ichigo…?" I grinned, standing up and facing her. Around my neck, my red scarf hung proudly. I skipped out the door, happy that I now had some say in my costume, even if only minorly. I made my way outside, Ochako beside me, and scarf flying behind.

"Izuku!" I chirped when we entered the field, darting forward. I was at the green haired boy's side in seconds, waving cheerfully at Tenya. "W-what's up?" Izuku just stared at me, cheeks red, and I suppressed the urge to flee back into the changing room.

Ochako appeared next to Tenya, grinning brightly. "Hey Izuku-kun! You're costume looks really practical," She gestured at herself broadly. "Mine didn't turn out so well."

Izuku shook his head, the green rabbit ears atop his head waving wildly. "N-no, you look fine!"

"Thanks," Ochako smiled sweetly, and Izuku's face became even more red. I watched them thoughtfully for a moment, feeling like I was missing something, before turning towards Tenya. Tenya was looming over a boy with purple bubbles for hair, somehow managing to make the illusion of flames burning behind him.

"-and you should not make such comments about our esteemed classmates!" Tenya continued as the purple-bubble boy looked up at him tearfully. I recognized him as the only person shorter than me, and brightened considerably. I bounced over to Tenya, grinning widely.

"Tenya, y-your costume looks s-super c-cool!" I complimented, hoping to end his tirade.

The black haired boy did stop ranting at bubble-boy. He turned on me instead. "Thank you, Ichigo! This costume has been modeled after my brother's, the great hero Ingenium!"

I patted him on the shoulder, having to stand on my tip-toes to do so. "Th-that's awesome!" I looked down at bubble-boy. "So, w-who's th-this?"

Bubble-boy stared at me, an odd light in his eyes. "My name is Mineta. You have a beautiful body." I blinked at him for a moment, then squeaked in embarrassment, leaping backwards. My face turned redder than it ever had before, and I promptly hid behind Tenya. Tenya was more than happy to defend me, and Mineta was instantly cowed. Unfortunately, before Tenya could continue lambasting him, All Might began to speak.

"THIS," All Might boomed, and I shook even more from behind Tenya. "WILL BE AN INDOOR BATTLE TRIAL! You'll see - in fact, take two steps and you'll be there!" Everyone turned to face the looming grey wall behind the pro hero. "Most acts of villainy are committed indoors. Although villain clean up is mostly seen outside, the better part of heroism is an indoor job." All Might placed his hands on his hips. "For this test, you'll separate into "villain" and "hero" groups, FOR A TWO-ON-TWO TEAM BATTLE!"

A girl in a green jumpsuit with goggles raised her hand. "What about the basic training?"

"THIS IS BASIC TRAINING!" All Might roared triumphantly. "ONLY THIS TIME, THERE WON'T BE ANY ROBOTS IT'D BE OKAY TO JUST DESTROY!" I stared at him in confusion. Robots? What robots? What did robots have to do with training? The other students seemed to understand though, so I stayed quiet. All Might moved on to explain the test. "For this training exercise, we'll have some 'villains' guard a nuclear weapon they intend on deploying! The heroes must track them down and end their nefarious scheme before the timer runs out! If the heroes can manage to capture the missle or villains before they run out of time, they win! And your teammates will be chosen by lottery!" He whipped out a small box from nowhere. I shuddered, trying to become even smaller. We had to work in teams? Imagine if I got stuck with someone like Bakugo!

All Might began to draw slips of paper, announcing the teams as he went. Ochako and Izuku were on one team, and Tenya was stuck with Bakugo. The others were just as quickly sorted, until only one person was left - me.

I raised my hand timidly. "Um, e-excuse me? S-sir?" All Might looked down on me, even more intimidating than before. "I-uh d-don't have a t-team!" I squeaked.

"Oh!" All Might looked surprised, and almost... embarrassed? "Well then, Miss Kurosaki, why don't you join Team I?" I looked around in confusion, wondering where Team I was. A floating glove waved at me, and I scurried over.

Said floating glove was apparently attached to an invisible person. "It's nice to meet you, you're Ichigo Kurosaki, right?" The girl said cheerfully. "I'm Toru Hagakure!"

"Mashirao Ojiro," the tall boy with a tail introduced. "It's nice to meet you as well."

I reached up for a moment for my braids, before remembering that they'd been tucked into my costume. "M-my pleasure," I mumbled. "Ichigo K-Kurosaki."

Ojiro nodded. "Very well, Kurosaki. What do you think about this?"

"It seems pretty awesome, ne? I can't wait to start!" Hagakure clapped her hands excitedly. I nodded in agreement, despite the fact I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of fighting.

All Might clapped his hands, recalling everyone's attention. "The first two teams will be..." he reached into the lottery boxes. "TEAM A…!" I saw Izuku and Ochako jumped to attention. "AND TEAM D!" Bakugo snarled, eyes immediately honing in on Izuku. I gulped, feeling my stomach sink. This was not going to turn out well at all.


	3. Episode 3: We're Doomed!

**小打も積もれば大木を倒す**

 ** _Shōda mo tsumoreba taiboku-wo taosu._**

 **A difficult task, e. g. removing a person/group from a strong position, or changing established ideas cannot be done quickly. It can be achieved gradually, by small steps, a little at a time.**

* * *

After the dramatic announcement of Izuku and Ochako's impending execution, the students who weren't going to be fighting were escorted into the Viewing Deck. It was a large, steel-grey room, with a series of large screens separated from the deck by a railing that reached my chin. I was super anxious about this fight, because all my friends _except_ me were involved, along with that super scary blonde. I climbed up the railing, standing on the first, lower bar and wrapping my hands over the top one, just so I could see the screens clearly. I bit my lip, watching as the projected version of Bakugo abandoned Tenya with the missile, taking off towards the Hero Team entrance gate.

"Geez Kurosaki, you're really nervous," Hagakure said, coming up to stand beside me. I noted the hovering gloves in my peripheral vision, but otherwise didn't react, eyes affixed to the screens. Hagakure waved her hand in my face, which was only effective because of her glove. "Is something wrong? Hello?"

I narrowed my eyes, still not looking away from the projections as the thirty second timer started to count down. "B-Bakugo and Izuku h-have a h-history. I'm w-worried f-for him and Ochako," I answered her, watching the timer reach twenty seconds. "If th-this goes p-poorly, th-they could be s-severely injured," And I will have to heal them, I mentally added miserably.

"I'm sure they'll be fine!" Hagakure assured me cheerily. "All Might will keep them safe, that's what the teachers are here for!"

I looked at (through?) her sadly. "T-teachers aren't p-perfect," I said caustically. "Neither a-are p-pro heroes."

All Might appeared out of nowhere, a hand on both my shoulder and Hagakure's. I nearly crumpled at the weight. "Well said, Miss Kurosaki! However, I assure you I will do my utmost to keep your friends safe!" He gestured to the screen, perfectly white teeth sparkling as he smiled. "I'm sure that Young Bakugo isn't quite as malicious as you think!" He told me. I bit my lip, frowning up at the teacher. Actually, I was pretty sure Bakugo was more malicious than I realized. All Might continued to speak, striding over to the podium in the middle of the rails. "This is only training, Miss Kurosaki! Your friends will be fine," he picked up the small mic, and clicked a button for the intercom. "Ready, Hero Team? Villain Team? Then let us begin! 3… 2… 1…" I swallowed my protests, anxiously watching Bakugo take his ready stance. "BEGIN!"

* * *

I watched Bakugo attack Izuku in resigned sadness. I winced as Bakugo slammed Izuku's back with one of his gigantic metal gauntlets. All Might was holding the intercom in his hand, watching the screen intently. I understood what he was thinking - he was giving Izuku a chance to fight back. It would hurt Izuku's pride to end the match now - but I disagreed with his decision. I would prefer Izuku damage his ego, rather than receive this beat down.

Izuku crawled away from Bakugo, and I bit my lip. If I was his teammate, he would've finished Bakugo off by now. I could easily compensate for the damage he received. It would've been easy. It would've been so. Very. Simple.

The two boys on screen lined up for one last charge, and I could hear the students around me gasp. I myself was shaking so badly that the metal tips of my boots were making small clinking noises against the floor. They ran forward, and slammed into each other. The resulting cloud of dust and smoke blocked them from the view of the cameras, but from the outside, I saw the roof erupt outwards. I instantly understood what occurred, and narrowed my eyes.

"Th-that idiot," I turned around and stormed away from the screens, where Ochako was making a move for the missle. Taking the stairs, I was on the field in mere moments, running towards the ruined building. The model city was impressively large and complex, but I could still see the plume of dust over the building hiding the missle. It luckily didn't take very long for me to reach the building, ducking and weaving my way past fake cars and street lights. As soon as I rounded the corner, I saw the wrecked structure, and gasped.

Climbing through the rubble, I coughed when I inhaled a little too much smoke. Jumping up onto one of the open windows, my eyes zeroed in on Izuku, who was lying curled up on the floor while Bakugo stood over him. I rushed forwards, skidding on my knees at his side, not caring that the material of my costume was ripping.

"Idiot…" I mumbled, rolling him onto his back. Both his arms had been utterly destroyed by that last confrontation. I bit my lip, prepared myself, and then reached out and spread my healing ability over to Izuku. It took only a second and a burst of steam to heal, but I knew that I would need to find somewhere to hide soon. The pain from Izuku's injuries would probably incapacitate me for a few minutes, which I wanted no witnesses for. "Izukun," I muttered pushing his chest gently. "G-get up, y-you're fine now." Izuku's eyes fluttered open slowly, and I glared at him. I bopped him on the forehead. "D-don't overexert yourself, or I'll l-let you l-land yourself in the school hospital for the d-day next time," I looked up at Bakugo menacingly. "And y-you! L-learn some s-selfcontrol, y-you're just as s-stupid as h-he is! _Bakago_!" Whoops, I thought, mentally beating myself over the head. Alarm sirens went off in my mind as Bakugo swelled with rage.

I climbed to my feet, reading myself for a fight I probably wouldn't win. My hands came up, and I slid my feet into a defensive position, a bead of nervous sweat rolling down the back of my neck.

"WHAT WAS THAT, YOU MIDGET?!" Bakugo roared. His fists sparked furiously, small explosions lighting up the murderous expression on his face.

All Might, once again, appeared just in time. "Young Bakugo, Young Kurosaki!" I glanced away from Izuku to stare at All Might in confusion. Why the change of address? "This is no time for fighting! The Hero Team has already won! And Young Kurosaki, excellent job healing Young Midoriya."

I glared at Izuku. "Th-thank you, M-Mister All Might. I'm getting l-lots of practice healing Izukun," I hissed out the word "practice".

"Izukun?!" Izuku repeated, cheeks red.

"Yes," I confirmed petulantly. "Izukun, l-let's go find Ocha-chan and Tenya. They're also stupid - well, T-tenya less so, b-but still, y-you're all so r-reckless!" I complained loudly, dragging Izuku away from All Might and Bakugo. "M-my healing abilities can't b-be used a-all the t-time, you know!"

Izuku looked alarmed. "Wait, you can't use your healing ability constantly? What's the aftereffects? I know Recovery Girl drains her patients energy, do you use your own? Should you even be healing me? Maybe it would be better-"

"S-stop," I cut him off before he could realize the truth. "I w-won't run out o-of energy, s-so it d-doesn't matter. Now, l-let's go check on Tenya and Ocha-chan," I promptly tugged Izuku's arm again, forcing him up the stairs.

As soon as I saw Ochako, puking on the floor, I groaned. "Ocha-chan, why?!" I stalked over, still holding Izuku's wrist. I tapped her shoulder, spreading my quirk again. "B-be healthy," I ordered sternly. The brunette righted herself almost immediately, looking surprised.

"I'm fine now!" She cheered, then looked up at me. "You healed me, thanks! Oh, and Ocha-chan?" She repeated.

I nodded solemnly, pointing my thumb at Izuku. "Ocha-chan and Izukun," I then pointed at Tenya. "You aren't s-stupid, so no b-baby names for y-you."

Ochako just grinned in response. "I like your sense of humor!" She stood up, giving me a quick hug that left me frozen. "Thanks Icchan!" She smiled at Izuku over my shoulder. "I hope you don't mind if I call you Izu-kun as well!"

Izuku blushed bright red. "N-no, it's f-fine!"

Tenya looked around nervously, helmet in hand. "Why don't we leave before this building collapses?" He suggested reasonably.

I laughed sheepishly. "Ah, yeah. Th-that's probably a good idea," I gently tugged on Ochako's shoulder. "Ocha-chan? C-can we go?"

Ochako popped over to Izuku's side, looped her arms through both my and Izuku's arms. "Let's go!" She glanced back. "Tenya, please help Izuku! He's looking a bit wobbly," Tenya hurried over to Izuku's other side, grabbing his arm and helping him walk. I couldn't help but smile all the way back to the Observation Deck.

* * *

"NEXT UP," All Might roared, reaching into the lottery box. "TEAM B AND TEAM I!" I flinched in surprise, looking away from Hagakure and Ochako (who were becoming fast friends) at Team B. I swallowed in fear. I remembered them both from the quirk testing the day before. Shouto Todoroki and Mezo Shoji. Their quirks were especially suited for this activity of Track-Down-And-Capture.

Hagakure and Ojiro were less anxious. "Let's go hide the missle!" Hagakure sang. "This is going to be fun!"

Ojiro was also plenty confident, picking the missle up and walking out the doors into the model city. "We have five minutes to pick the place to hide," he said. "So we should make the best of it."

"Um, guys?" I walked up behind them, nerves fraying. "I-I have an idea, b-but I'm going to n-need your commitment."

Ojiro and Hagakure paused, looking at me for a moment. Ojiro shrugged. "Okay, sure," he agreed easily. "We don't have any plans, so…"

"O-okay then," I mumbled, not very assured. "So, th-this is what we're going t-to do."

* * *

The Hero Team entered the model city, ready for combat. Both teenagers were tense, ready for an ambush. Immediately, Shoji extended his many arms, activating his quirk and using multiple ears and noses to try and track the villain team down. He noticed a trail leading down the middle of the street. One his arms created a mouth, facing Todoroki. "Their scent leads that-" he cut himself off, eyes widening. "There's one above-!"

A ribbon neatly looped itself around the highest of Shoji's arms. "One down!" Hagakure shouted, knotting the cloth. The invisible girl landed on her feet, sprinting away from the captured hero. Inside the observation room, the watching students gasped in shock at the quick take down.

Unfortunately for Hagakure, Todoroki was fast to react also. Ice spread across the floor, hissing and snapping menacingly, freezing the invisible girl's feet. Ice began to slowly crawl up her legs, outlining her form. "You were quick to attack," Todoroki said coldly, staring her down. "But you won't catch me with the same trick." He extended his arm, ready to send another wave of ice that would incapacitate her entirely, removing Hagakure from the game.

At this moment, Ichigo dropped down from above the doorway, aiming an axe-kick at Todoroki's head. He dodged last second, hand automatically extending towards her as a pillar of ice rocketed upwards. Ichigo pushed off the wall mid-fall, landing a few feet away. Ice began to spread up her legs as well, but Ichigo smiled at Todoroki smugly, and ripped her feet out. Two trails of steam curled up her legs, as the torn skin automatically healed itself.

Ichigo lunged forwards, this time aiming a punch at Todoroki's throat. He ducked, turning in a roundhouse kick targeting for Ichigo's gut. Ichigo jumped backwards, arms raised to block. His leg slammed into her crossed arms, sending her sprawling. A wave of ice immediately followed, covering both Ichigo and the building behind her. Engulfed in ice up to her shoulders, Ichigo huffed in irritation.

"I said the same trick wouldn't work twice," Todoroki repeated, recovering from his combat stance.

Ichigo nodded in agreement. "I-I know," she smiled at Todoroki. "B-but it's ch-checkmate anyways." Todoroki's eyes snapped down in shock, finally feeling the ribbon tightening around his boot.

Hagakure finished knotting the ribbon around his leg. Todoroki stared down in surprise at the neatly tied white ribbon, and Hagakure stood, jumping up into the and pumping her fist. Ichigo grinned at Hagakure's enthusiasm.

"Yes! We won!" Hagakure cheered, entirely invisible yet still obviously happy.

A second later, All Might's voice sounded over the intercom. "VILLAIN TEAM WINS!" He sounded oddly triumphant - which was surprising, because the villains had won. Still, Ichigo was happy, and if the teacher appreciated her strategy, then all the better. It had worked very well, after all.

* * *

In the observation deck, Ochako was screaming encouragement loudly. "GO ICCHAN! Whoooo!" Tenya grinned, clapping with the other students. Izuku was muttering lowly, breaking down Ichigo's battle-strategy and scrawling away in his notebook.

"She used Hagakure's invisibility to create an ambush, and spread her healing abilities over before the game began," Izuku analyzed, drawing out a series of steps. "She immediately targeted Shinji, because he can track others, and sent Ojiro as far away as possible. Then she used herself as a distraction, to give Hagakure another opening. Very interesting, I'll have to ask her about how-"

Ochako stared at Izuku in fear. "Uh, Izukun? What are you doing?" She interrupted.

* * *

On the other side of the model city, Ojiro sighed in relief, leaning against the paper mache rocket on top of the tallest building in the back corner of the city. "I can't believe that actually worked," he then grinned victoriously. "Kurosaki is a genius!"

* * *

I strolled out of Basic Hero Training feeling very happy with myself. At my left side, Ochako and Izuku were chatting, while Tenya brought up the right. I had already put on my gigantic black coat, and was practically being swallowed in its depths. Ochako had laughed plenty at the ridiculousness of my clothing. "You look even smaller than before!" She had pointed out, earning herself a very harsh kick to the shin.

Tenya glanced down at me after I tripped for the fourth time. His eyes widened. "Ichigo, are you bleeding?"

"W-what? No!" I protested automatically, eyes wide. "W-what made y-you th-think that?"

Ochako didn't hear anything beyond "Ichigo is bleeding." She was already looming over my smaller form, tugging at my scarf. "Let me see, let me see," she demanded, opening the gigantic jacket, and dragging it away. I cursed mentally, feeling my entire body tremble with exertion. I knew that my eyes, once the bangs were pushed out of the way, would be clearly red and swollen. I looked like I had just recovered from a panic attack (which was close to what had occured). There was a smear of blood down running down my chin I hadn't quite managed to wipe away as well.

"What happened to you?" Ochako said, aghast. I didn't respond, closing my jacket and rewrapping my scarf.

I huffed in irritation. "I'm f-fine," I insisted, which wasn't precisely true, but suited my purposes. I wasn't going to announce what really happened, which would only reveal a large weakness of my quirk and making healing others more difficult. My quirk didn't really remove pain, rather it stored and condensed all the feeling away until after it deactivated. When I spread that ability to others, I adopted their pain as well. After healing Hagakure, Izuku, Ochako, and myself, I'd had plenty of pain saved up, from both the injuries and healing processes. More than enough for a rather unpleasant "crash". Unfortunately, I bit my tongue during the following seizure which usually accompanied a crash, which is why there was blood on my face. It wasn't that huge of a deal, but I knew that Ochako, Tenya, and Izuku would blow it up into a much bigger conundrum than it was. If they found out precisely how my quirk functioned, they'd refuse to let me heal them, which would be silly. It took only a few minutes of suffering for me to relieve them of harm.

Ochako was not convinced by my lie. "Are you sure? That looked like blood," she disagreed, reaching for my chin.

"Th-that's just l-left over f-from b-before," I said, gently batting away her hand and concern. In reality, the blood from my injuries while my quirk was active dissolved into the air in moments, but Ochako didn't know that yet.

Izuku was even more reluctant to believe. "Okay then," he agreed finally. "If you're sure."

"I a-am," I answered firmly, clenching my fists at my sides. I started towards the gates again, ignoring the fact that the other three began to trail behind. I was practically running away from them.

The air was cold again. It stung my face and cheeks, and my nose was already numb. I was already considering how much colder it might get tonight, fretting over what I would do tonight. I really didn't want to move from behind the flower shop, but the gods were not on my side today, apparently. Sadly, I didn't know of many places I could go. I could hide inside the library, maybe, but there was a high chance of getting caught. In the middle of my brainstorming, I was interrupted.

"HEY!" I turned, still aggravated, to see Bakugo storming towards me, eyes narrowed. "You! Ichimi, or whatever!"

I stopped fully, glaring right back at the blonde. "It's IchiGO, n-not IchiMI," I was fairly sensitive about people remembering my name.

Bakugo stuck his lip out at me sneeringly. "Whatever, Ichigo," he huffed. "Listen, you don't suck as much as the rest of the side characters around here," he pointed at me accusingly. "But don't think that means I'm not going to beat you black and blue, got it?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Ch-challenge accepted," I said softly, barely loud enough for him to hear. "G-good luck doing so, I d-don't b-bruise easy."

"Che," Bakugo shoved his hands in his pockets, stalking past me. "Everyone's beatable, even All Might. That's why I'm going to be number one!"

I watched him leave through the front gates, suddenly filled with understanding. He wanted to be the best, and pushed everyone away in the process. I wondered how scared he was, of others, to act that way. I had certainly been there before, but it had done me no good. Simply left me alone, without any friends to watch my back.

"They say," I whispered. "That pride cometh before the fall. I pray you won't learn that lesson from experience, Bakugo." I walked out of the gates myself soon after, ahead of my friends, but far behind the blond, who no longer seemed very frightening.

Just lonely.

* * *

I stood in the middle of the alley behind the flower shop mournfully. My little spot next to the metal dumpster, with its crumbling brick wall and ever present puddle was being robbed from me by the weather. This sucked. It really, really, sucked. I was going to have to move, and my spot would so be taken when I came back, if I didn't get caught by the authorities. Who knew being a bum would be so difficult? I certainly didn't know, when I ran away six months ago from -

"Excuse me, child," I glanced over my shoulder to see an old woman even shorter than I was. Her hair was white and long, hanging freely over her shoulders, and despite her age, she exuded an air of grace. I tensed, recognizing her as the owner of the flower shop.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Y-yes, ma'am?"

She smiled gently. "I've noticed you sleeping around here for some time, child. If I was going to report you, I would've already done so," she explained, and I relaxed marginally. "You aren't the first child to run away from home. I still remember when I fled my family. It was a different time, they wanted me to marry a much older man. I traveled across many miles until I reached this city. I met my beloved Akihasa here," she looked up at the sky in reminisce. "Those were good times."

"I-if you don't mind me asking," I said timidly. "What's th-that g-got to do with me?"

Her eyes returned from the sky, and I realized that they were a milky white. "I will allow you to stay within my shop," she began, and I jumped in shock. "However, I'd like you to clean while you're there. The back room is open, and I can't see as well as I used to. Having someone young to spruce up the place would be nice," she grinned, and I could see the young, adventurous woman beneath her wrinkled skin. "You'll be paid, of course. Ten dollars a night."

I was entirely still, stunned by the too good to be true offer. "S-seriously? You'd even pay me?"

"Why not?" She answered cheekily. "Back when I first came here, another lady gave me a very similar offer. Think of it as my paying respect to her memory. The name's Yukihime Kitaro, child." She held out a shining silver key.

With a shaking hand, I took it. "Ichigo Kurosaki, Missus Yukihime," I grinned back at her, feeling a wave of confidence. "At l-least, that's the one I'm using n-now."

"One Protector, hm?" Yukihime translated. "It does suit someone courageous as yourself."

"C-courageous?" I repeated, surprised. I had been called many things, but courageous wasn't one of them.

Yukihime smiled. "Of course! You have to be brave to run away, hm?" She turned away from me, strolling out of the alley. "Good luck, Ichigo Kurosaki. I expect my shop to be stunning tomorrow morning!" I watched her turn the corner, before beginning to laugh helplessly. The utter luck and coincidence, that I would camp out behind the store of an old runaway who was willing to help me…

 _Nevermind_ , I thought as I held up the shiny silver key against the perfect sunset, that I could barely see through the end of the alley. _The gods really_ are _on my side_.


	4. Episode 4: Yay, Democracy!

**木の実は元へ落つる**

 ** _Kino mi-wa moto-he otsuru._**

 **Children observe daily and — in their behaviour — often follow the example of their parents.**

I left the flower shop the next morning bright eyed and bushy tailed. I had just had my best sleep in years, and Missus Yukihime said I was free to return tonight as well, as long as I cleaned again. Things were going very, very well in my world. I had even been allowed to leave my duffel bag in the back of the flower shop, so I wasn't carrying all of my worldly possessions with me to school anymore.

Exiting the bus, I instantly spotted Ochako, who was waiting at the edge of the bus stop. Her face was down, rapidly scanning through a series of flashcards. Strolling over, I tapped Ochako's shoulder, smiling brightly. "M-morning, Ocha-chan!"

"Gyah!" Ochako yelped, spinning around to face me. Her hands flew up, sending her flashcards flying into the air. She paused for a moment, then burst out into laughter. "I'm so sorry," she gasped helplessly, clutching her at her stomach. "It's just - you surprised me - I can't -" I shook my head, smiling brightly in response. Kneeling down, I began to collect Ochako's flashcards off the cement.

"I-It's fine," I said, standing up to hand over the stacked cards. "I'm p-pretty quiet, I know."

Ochako grinned, taking her cards back. "Really, though," she insisted, taking a "mysterious ninja" pose. I stared at her oddly. "You're like a ninja!" I blinked at her for a moment, then let out a small giggle. I blushed, hands snapping over my mouth. It was Ochako's turn to stare at me oddly. "You know, you're disgustingly cute," she observed.

I titled my head at her, hands dropping down as my blush faded. "H-huh?"

"Nevermind," Ochako waved her hand dismissively. Grabbing my wrist, she began tugging me towards the school. "Let's just go!"

The walk to the school was pleasant enough. It turned out that Ochako had been studying the English phrases Present Mic had assigned the day before. I happily walked her through the phrases, despite having slept in class. When Ochako asked how I did it, I informed her that magicians kept their secrets. Then we arrived at the school, and I saw the horde of reporters and camera men.

Skirting around the edge, we tried to avoid them. Unfortunately, we were caught at the gate. A female reporter shoved a mic in our faces, looking very determined. "Tell us what the Symbol of Peace is like as a teacher!" She demanded.

I immediately conjured several answers. Irresponsible, novel, loud… but said nothing. Instead, I shrunk down behind Ochako, face turning various shades of red. I didn't like the camera or loud people shouting for answers.

Ochako was, as always, unflappable. "What's he like?" she repeated. "He's very… muscular!" she said, flexing her arms. I stared at her a moment with the reporters, stunned by the banality of her answer. Then, I realized she had created a distraction, and rushed towards the school gates, slipping inside and into safe grounds. Ochako appeared a few moments later, laughing at my desperation. I glared at her, unable to speak, before running off towards the classroom.

* * *

"Good work on yesterday's combat training," Mister Aizawa started, looking anything but congratulatory. I doodled quietly in the back, waiting for an opening to fall asleep. "I saw the video and the results," I winced. Oh, I was going to get a speech later about placing myself in vulnerable positions needlessly, I could just _tell_. "Bakugo, you're talented, so don't act like a kid." Bakugo grumbled something under his breath in response. "And Midoriya," Izuku ducked his head. "You settled it by breaking your arm again, huh? You can't keep saying it's because you can't control your quirk. I don't like saying the same thing over and over," Izuku looked even more cowed. I pursed my lips, feeling sympathetic. Mister's Aizawa's disappointment was very potent. "If you can fix the control issue, there's a lot you'll be able to do. Feel a sense of urgency, Midoriya."

Izuku brightented automatically, looking awfully like a puppy. "Yes, Mister Aizawa!"

"Now let's get down to homeroom business," Mister Aizawa continued. "Sorry about the late notice, but today I'll have you…" he paused, and the entire class tensed. Was there going to be another test? I, in turn, sighed at Mister Aizawa's penchant for drama. He had informed me yesterday morning about what was going on, placing me in charge of the selection process and paperwork. The sadist. "... decide on a class representative."

The entire class reacted at once. Hands went flying into the air, with loud cries of "pick me! Pick me!" I sank down, already knowing what was going to happen.

"Kurosaki," Mister Aizawa didn't bother to raise his voice. I stood slowly, feeling the eyes of the entire class digging into me. They thought he was choosing me. Hah, I wish (actually, not really, I'd die). My position as Mister Aizawa's unofficial teacher's assistant was about to be cemented. Standing at the head of the classroom, I faced him.

I swallowed. "Y-yes, Mister Aizawa?" I whispered.

He shoved the paperwork for finalizing the classroom representative into my hands. "You're in charge," he pulled his sleeping bag out and fell to the floor. I knew it. After a long pause, the students hand were back in the air. Everyone was screaming for me to pick them - with a few exceptions. I surveyed this, growing more and more tense, before finally snapping.

"W-will e-e-everyone sh-shut up!" I shouted, eyes clamping shut. The class went quiet, staring at me in surprise. I slowly opened one eye, then sighed in relief. "Th-thank you," I mumbled. "I d-don't w-want to be responsible f-for who ever g-gets chosen, s-so…" I picked up a piece of chalk, writing out "Nominees" on one side, and "Votes" on the other. "W-we'll do an election," I decided, then amended. "A-and n-no nominating or v-voting for yourself."

There was some muttering, and Tenya's hand rose up. "I nominate Ichigo Kurosaki," he announced. I froze in the middle of writing, because what the heck? My stutter was so bad I was barely understandable right now! I wrote my name out on the board meekly, feeling very, very stupid.

"I'd like to nominate Izuku Midoriya," Ochako added, hand in the air. Izuku's eyes widened, and he slumped down in his chair with a flustered expression. I wrote his name as well. There was an awkward pause, and then a few other hands rose. By the end of this process, there was my name, Izuku, Tenya, and Momo Yaoyorozu on the board.

I nodded. "O-okay," I stepped over to the other side. "N-now to vote." I decided to start from the bottom. "Y-you can't vote twice," I reminded, raising the chalk. "Momo Yaoyorozu," I read clearly. Four hands rose, and I tallied them. "T-Tenya Iida," two votes. "Izuku M-Midoriya," five votes. "I-Ichigo Kurosaki." I finished. Seven hands rose. I stared at them all incredulously, tallying up the marks. "I w-won?!" I whispered in disbelief. "Why?"

Tenya pushed up his glasses. "During the Battle Trials, you implemented the most strategy. You used your teammates abilities to their advantage, and won against an arguably stronger opponent in a short amount of time," The other students were nodding in agreement.

"Izukun analyzed everything out loud," Ochako chipped in, smiling at me proudly. "Your planning was really cool, especially 'cause you did it so quickly." I blinked, then slowly, slowly circled my name.

I waited for a moment. "B-but I don't want t-to be leader," I mumbled petulantly.

Mister Aizawa stole the chalk from my hand before I could shove the title on Midoriya. "The election is over, go sit down, Kurosaki. You're the class rep, and Midoriya is the deputy class rep," I walked over to my seat, face red and feeling numb, to plop down in stunned silence. Izuku looked similar, but I couldn't appreciate the irony of the two shyest people in the class being elected right now. Mister Aizawa continued to speak, and I stared at him dully. He met my gaze once, and I saw the intention there. He had known that would happen, I realized, but I couldn't determine why he allowed it.

* * *

Ochako happily chowed down on her rice. "This rice is delicious!" She cooed, cradling the bowl to her chest. Sitting at OUR table in the middle of the lunch room, Izuku and I radiated a cloud of gloom and doom, while Tenya and Ochako enjoyed their food.

"Even though I've been chosen as the deputy class rep, I don't think I'm qualified for it," Izuku said, staring at his lunch sadly.

I huffed, crossing my arms. "I d-didn't even know I w-was in the r-running f-for an election," I pouted miserably. "Wh-who the heck th-thinks I'd b-be a g-good c-class president anyways? I c-can't talk w-without s-stuttering!"

"You're both going to do great," Ochako said with confidence, not bothering to look up from her food.

Tenya didn't even blink. "It'll be fine," he stared Izuku down. "You're judgement and critical thinking in the heat of battle are exemplary, and make you a worth following." He then looked to me. "And Ichigo, you have the mind of a tactician and the ability to guide others. How are you not a good leader?"

"I-I c-can't talk!" I protested violently.

"That is a trivial matter, you can correct it in time," Tenya answered dismissively.

Ochako leaned over, grinning widely. "Are you a rich boy, Tenya? You talk weird."

"I s-speak that way as w-well," I pointed out, raising my hand awkwardly. I was about as far from rich as you got, but I was well read. I didn't see how speech could be connected to money.

Tenya turned his head away. "I tried to correct that," he mumbled, earning eager looks form both Izuku and Ochako.

"Y-your brother is Ingenium, r-right?" I said, easily connecting the dots. "Of course y-you're wealthy, h-he is a v-very p-popular hero."

Tenya nodded, smiling proudly. "Indeed, my brother is very successful! My family has been in the hero business for generations! It is my only wish to follow in his footsteps!" He practically glowed with joy.

"You're smiling!" Ochako squealed. "I haven't seen you smile before, Tenya-" The emergency bell rang, cutting Ochako off. The intercom began blaring warnings for students to evacuate immediately. Ochako, Izuku, and Tenya rushed off, attempting to escape with the bustling crowd. It took me about three seconds to look at the clambering people, remember my height and size, and decide to stay in my seat.

Picking up my bowl, I continued to eat my rice and observe. I'd be more likely to land in the hospital by being trampled, than if I waited for an opening. Whatever the threat was, I hadn't heard any loud crashes or screams (beyond the evacuees), so death wasn't imminent. Yet.

There was another loud scream from the crowd, and I winced. I was sure someone had just gotten run over. Glancing back down at my food, I spotted the dessert I had yet to touch. Wasting food was a heinous crime. I reached out and start chewing on it, feeling less and less anxious as I realized nothing bad was happening. Everyone had been clammering for the exit for over two minutes, and yet I heard no booms, crashes, or dying shouts. Obviously something else was going on. Was it a drill? If that was the case, we were failing miserably. Another student fell, shouting in pain. I shivered.

Suddenly, Tenya came flying out of the crowd, head over heels, and crashed against the far wall. Was he escaping the madness? Good for him. I took another bite of my brownie.

"EVERYTHING IS FINE!" He screamed, and the entire room went quiet. "IT'S JUST THE MEDIA! EVERYTHING IS FINE! THIS IS YUUEI ACADEMY! LET US PLEASE ACT IN A WAY BEFITTING THE BEST OF THE BEST!" Tenya was shaking, balancing over the exit doors. I clapped for him quietly, before continuing to eat.

Even better, I had less of a reason to evacuate now.

* * *

"Kurosaki, here," Mister Aizawa began, shoving a stack of papers into my arms. "The other officers need to be determined." I stared at the stack of papers in my arms blankly. Really? This again?

I sighed, walking to the front. I really didn't want the position, and I wouldn't enjoy it either. Wasn't there something I could do? I glanced at Mister Aizawa surreptitiously, then brightened. "Ahem!" I coughed, getting everyone's attention. "I-it is now t-time to determine th-the other c-class officers," I said, internally cackling madly. "B-but before w-we begin, I w-would like to s-say, th-that I think th-that Tenya Iida sh-should b-be the class r-representative instead!" Tenya stared at me with wide eyes. "H-he displayed excellent j-judgement and c-critical th-thinking during t-today's e-emergency. I b-believe he is w-worth f-following." I reframed Tenya's own words with ease, not feeling the slightest bit guilty for my verbal plagarism.

"I'm fine with that," Kirishima agreed casually. I smiled, recognizing the boy who'd introduced himself to me during the test. "Iida was a big help during the emergency today, and the way he spoke was very manly." My smile dropped. Why was this boy so obsessed with manliness? There were several people who added on their agreement.

Mister Aizawa sat up. "You're wasting time," he said monotonously.

I nodded eagerly, turning back to the class. "Th-then Tenya Iida is now c-class representative!" I rushed forward, dropping the paperwork on his desk. "Here!" I quickly scurried off to my desk, hiding a smug smile. I wouldn't have to deal with the work anymore, Izuku and Tenya would instead. I glanced at Mister Aizawa, showing him a proud peace sign. I had learned to pass off responsibility from the best, after all!

There were worse habits, I supposed, you could learn from a mentor than laziness.


	5. Episode 5: The USJ!

**出る釘は打たれる**

 ** _Deru kugi wa utareru_**

 **The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.**

"For today's Basic Hero Training, it's turned into a class with three instructors: All Might, me, and one other person," Mister Aizawa announced with his usual lackadaisical attitude. The entire class perked up at the words "turned into". Something had changed? For my part, I was hitting my head against my desk, remembering yesterday's training session with Mister Aizawa.

* * *

 _"98!" I called out, kicking the heavy bag again. "99! 100!" I stopped, putting my arms behind my head to keep myself from bending over as I panted. I turned to the sleeping bag laying on the floor in the back of the gym. "M-mister Aizawa! I f-finished!"_

 _Mister Aizawa rolled over, still tucked inside his precious bed roll. "Good," he grunted. "Now do 100 push ups."_

 _I gulped in fear, reluctantly lowering myself to the ground. I hated push ups with a passion. Getting into position, I lowered myself, touching my nose to the ground. "One!" I called, lifting myself back up._

 _"We're going to the USJ tomorrow," Mister Aizawa said without warning. My arms buckled as I glanced at him, startled. My face slammed into the ground, and I covered my abused nose with my hands, letting out a small whine. Mister Aizawa ignored me and continued to speak. "We'll be doing a rescue activity in squads. I want you to assign the groups."_

 _I sat up, pinching my nose to stem the blood flow. "Of c-course, Mister Aizawa," I said nasally, activating my quirk to heal the damage. The rush of steam blinded me._

 _"Don't stop working," Mister Aizawa muttered, rolling back over. I stared at my nose, cross eyed. Mister Aizawa coughed loudly, and with an exasperated sigh, I returned to completing my 100 push ups. Mister Aizawa heard me sigh, and added, "Make that 150 pushups."_

 _I groaned in defeat._

* * *

Hanta Sero raised his hand, shouting over the din, "Excuse me! What will we be doing?"

Mister Aizawa held out a card, similar to the one All Might had used before, reading "Rescue". "For today's Basic Hero Training, it's the trial of Rescue," he said, lacking all of All Might's enthusiasm. "Be the hero everyone needs, whether it's a flood or disaster." He sounded like a robot reading a motivational poster. I covered my mouth with my hand, suppressing the urge to laugh. The class burst into conversation.

Izuku, in a show of brilliance, turned to me. "Ichigo, can you tell me what's going on?" He whispered.

"Y-yeah!" I chirped, smiling shyly. "M-mister Aizawa explained it a-all t-to me yesterday. I'll t-tell y-you on the bus," I pointed to the front, where Mister Aizawa was watching everyone talking sourly. Izuku nodded, turning back to face the teacher.

He was right on time. "Don't get ahead of yourselves," Mister Aizawa reprimanded, pulling a familiar device from his pocket. With the click of a button, the shelves holding our uniforms extended from the wall. "As I was saying, this time, it's entirely up to each of you, whether or not you wear your costume. Some of your costumes probably aren't adapted to the task at hand, after all," I perked up at this. I wouldn't have to wear that ridiculous, provocative costume again! Yes! I squirmed in my seat, suddenly much more excited about the USJ trip. Mister Aizawa hadn't told me that yesterday, probably because he wanted to see me uncomfortable, the sadist (I loved Mister Aizawa, but he was very mean). "The training area is fairly far away, so we'll get there by bus," Mister Aizawa continued. I smiled smugly at Izuku. "That's all. Go get prepared." Mister Aizawa finished un-epically.

I bounced out of my seat, grinning at Izuku happily. "I-I'm s-s-super e-excited a-a-about th-this!" I cheered, pumping my fist in an imitation of Ochako.

"Yeah, this is going to be cool," Izuku agreed, walking up to the shelves. He pulled his uniform out of his locker, and frowned at it. I tilted my head, and tried to jump up and see what he was looking at. I barely reached chest level on Izuku though, so I ended up failing miserably.

"W-what is it?" I stammered, looking at Izuku curiously.

Izuku glanced down at me. "I don't think I should wear my uniform. Last time, it ripped very easily, and…" he paused, lifting the rabbit-ear-thing up slightly.

"Oh," It did look stupid, I had to agree. "W-well, maybe you sh-should a-ask about having th-the c-costume r-remade with a more durable m-material?" I suggested. "Th-that would be a r-reasonable request. M-maybe t-take the gloves and b-boots for now. I'm n-not going t-to wear all of m-my c-costume either."

Izuku looked at me in surprise. "Really? Why? Your costume is awesome," he complimented.

I blushed. "I-it is a b-bit…" I paused, searching for a polite way to phrase my thoughts, before giving up. "... s-s-s-slutty."

Izuku's eyes widened comically. "I-Ichigo! Your costume isn't - you d-don't l-look -" he flushed as well, unable to repeat my words.

"I-I'm n-n-not comfortable w-with it a-anyways," I continued, shrugging. "I-I n-need the b-body suit, s-so I'll just p-put that on a-and pull th-the gym u-uniform over it," I smiled, hands on my cheeks to hide my embarrassment. "I-it's b-better th-that w-w-way!" Before Izuku could respond, I ran over to my locker, which was on the lowest shelf. Grabbing the body suit and steel toed boots, I darted into the girl's locker room.

* * *

I shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, waiting for the bus. At the head of the crowd, Tenya was at full throttle, complete with a whistle and loud shouting. I tried to find Izuku or Ochako, but I was too short to see anything but a mass of legs. In the end I gave up, lingering at the back of the group and pouting futilely.

"Kurosaki," I flinched, spinning around to see Todoroki. The teen was wearing his costume, but it was fairly similar to the gym uniform anyways. I fidgeted under his stare for a moment, now able to compare myself to the person I'd suicidally charged during the Battle Trials. I didn't even reach his stomach.

I looked at my feet meekly. "Y-yes?"

Todoroki stared unblinkingly, making me shrink inwards further. "I may have lost during the Combat Trials, but I won't lose this time," he stated evenly.

"O-okay!" I nodded eagerly, taking a step back. "G-good l-l-luck with th-the t-trial th-then!" I bowed, trying to escape the tense conversation. Todoroki made a quick movement, reaching up to adjust his collar, and I jumped back several feet, instinctively cringing. His heterochromatic eyes widened. I turned bright red. "I-I - i-it isn't wh-wh-what y-you're th-thinking!" I squeaked, fleeing towards the bus.

As soon as I had a seat on the bus, I deflated. Pressing myself against the window, I sighed. I had reacted the wrong way, like an abused child. I hadn't been abused, I was just overly anxious, but no stranger would know that. Closing my eyes, I did my best to calm myself.

"Hey, Ichimi," I opened my eyes, staring in horror at Bakugo. "I'm going to sit here." He demanded, taking the seat next to me. He didn't say anything else, glaring at Izuku determinedly across the bus. I was equally fixated, wondering why the irritable blonde, who claimed he was going to "beat me black and blue", was sitting next to me.

A wave of cold brushed my back. Shivering in fear, I turned, eyes the size of dinner plates. Todoroki had taken the seat behind me, and was staring at me blankly. I trembled, and turned back around slowly. I slumped in my chair until I was hidden from his gaze, but I was sure that he could look down and see me anyway (damn height advantage!).

Bakugo's hand sparked next to my head as he clenched his fist, growling lowly. I jumped up, squeaking in terror. As soon as I was high enough, I met Todoroki's eyes, and was hit with another wave of freezing air. I fell back into my seat, shivering from both fear and cold. This bus ride was going to be pure, undiluted _hell_ , I thought miserably.

* * *

After a long bus ride, where I divided my time between hiding under the seat from Todoroki and pasting myself against the window to avoid Bakugo, Class 1-A arrived at the USJ. Cowering in my seat, I waited for Tenya to call my name before fleeing the bus. I spotted Mister Aizawa standing near the doors, and fled towards him immediately.

"M-mister Aizawa," I panted, adjusting my scarf. "Th-the s-students will b-be ready s-soon, I w-wouldn't s-suggest making th-them wait." Already, the other kids were beginning to talk as they walked inside the facility. The large dome looked remarkably similar to Universal Studios Japan, but the USJ was far from a theme park. It was a training facility, and a dangerous one at that. I winced at the sight of the burning building in the distance. Today's training would be painful.

Mister Aizawa grunted in acknowledgement. "Thirteen!" He called over my shoulder. I turned to see a man in a spacesuit, who easily towered over me. I gulped, attempting to shrink behind Mister Aizawa. The teacher easily sidestepped me, waving casually at the Spacesuit Guy. "The entire class is here."

"Of course, Aizawa," Spacesuit Guy said kindly, leaning over slightly to look at me. "Who's this?" Mister Aizawa glanced at me expectantly, clearly unwilling to answer for me.

I clutched the sleeves of my jumpsuit. "M-my n-name is I-Ichigo Kurosaki," I mumbled. "U-um… d-do you m-m-mind if I ask wh-who y-you are?"

Spacesuit Guy appeared taken aback, the white glowing circles under his helmet expanding. "I am the Space Hero, Number Thirteen," he answered. My eyes widened. His name was a number? How odd… "It is nice to meet you, Miss Kurosaki." He looked over to my classmates, who were growing steadily more rowdy. "I will get started now, Aizawa," Thirteen decided, heading over to the class.

I turned to Mister Aizawa. "U-um, M-Mister Aizawa? W-will I b-be p-participating today, o-or on s-standby f-for healing?" I asked quietly, secretly hoping I wouldn't have to be part of this activity. Todoroki and Bakugo wanted to use this activity as an opportunity to compete, and I had zero interest in doing so.

"You'll be participating," Mister Aizawa said monotonously, crushing my feeble hopes. "If anyone is majorly injured, you'll be on call, however." He narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm sure you're wearing the cooling suit under the gym uniform," I fidgeted at the reminder I had chosen not to wear my costume. "Which means you have an hour before overheating, correct?"

I nodded frantically. "Y-yes, Mister Aizawa!" I chirped. My quirk generated a lot of energy during activation, which raised my body temperature and created steam. That limited the amount of time my quirk could be activated before I spontaneously combusted. My costume had been designed with a bodysuit that helped regulate my temperature, giving me up to an hour before I would be forced to deactivate my quirk or implode.

"Then your goal is to avoid using your quirk as much as possible," Mister Aizawa ordered me. My eyes widened in surprise. "With a quirk like yours, your goal is to activate your quirk as late into a battle as you can manage. Today, I want you to delay that as much as possible." His eyes were intent, and his voice was fuller, less lackadaisical and more powerful. He seemed like a hero.

I stared at him for a moment in shock, before grinning proudly. "U-understood, M-mister Aizawa!" Mister Aizawa was lazy and sadistic, but sometimes he was really, really cool. Moments like this reminded me of that.

"BRAVO! BRAVO!" The moment ended with the cheering of the other students. I turned around to see my classmates clapping as Thirteen bowed. He must have finished his speech. My smile softened. How was it that Pro Heroes were always so inspirational? Was it something they learned, or was it just a gift?

Could I be like that, one day?

Mister Aizawa slouched over, hands in his pockets. "All right, first things first-" I glanced down the steps casually, hearing the fountain stop. My eyes widened.

"M-m-mister Ai-aizawa!" I called out, suddenly feeling very, very scared. I pointed at the odd black hole wavering in the air. "Th-there's s-s-someone c-climbing out of th-that!" Sure enough, a hand appeared at the edge of the portal, pale white contrasting with the odd off-black of the spinning vortex.

Mister Aizawa reacted faster than I could even see, appearing in front of me and blocking my view of the portal. "HUDDLE TOGETHER AND DON'T MOVE!" He ordered loudly, throwing me backwards. "THIRTEEN, PROTECT THE STUDENTS! THOSE ARE VILLAINS!"

I landed on my butt several feet backwards, eyes watering. There were actual villains here, and Mister Aizawa was planning to fight them. I needed to help him, but I couldn't move. I was worse than useless… I was helpless, shaking in terror. My stomach swelled with nausea, my hands trembled, and I laid on the floor catatonic.

From the portal, more villains appeared. The vortex of darkness expanded, as faceless goons exited. They were grinning, glaring, laughing, and I could just barely see the man in the back, the first to exit the portal, who stood and watched. He was covered in unattached hands, and despite being smaller than any other villain present, he scared me the most. I met his eyes, and my world froze.

The vortex shifted, until the vague outline of a head appeared, with glowing yellow eyes. "Eraserhead and Number Thirteen…" he mused, barely loud enough for me to hear. "According to the teachers' curriculum we procured yesterday, All Might was supposed to be here."

"I knew it," Mister Aizawa muttered, scarf rising into the air around him. "So, yesterday was the doing of you louts." He shifted his feet, getting ready to charge. I could hear the other students panicking behind me. I could feel my heart begin to rapidly flutter, my body became cold, and suddenly there was an unbearable weight on my chest. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't- "ICHIGO!" Mister Aizawa glanced over her shoulder, eyes glimmering red behind his glasses. "Get the other students out of here," he said. "I'm trusting you."

Then he was gone, flying down the steps towards the hoard of evil minions. I forced myself to stand, turning around to Thirteen. My hands were still shaking, my heart was still beating madly, and I still couldn't breathe, but Mister Aizawa trusted me. No one had ever done that before.

"M-Mister Thirteen!" I called, turning around to face my classmates, who were in the same state I was. It made me feel slightly better. The scratches on my palms stung, and I clenched my fists. "W-we need to g-get e-everyone out of h-here!" I swallowed, pulling together what little confidence I had. I remembered the words of the vortex villain, and shouted, "TH-THEY'RE HERE FOR ALL MIGHT!"


	6. Episode 6: Target - All Might!

**虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず**

 ** _Koketsu ni irazunba koji wo ezu._**

 **Nothing ventured, nothing gained; No pain, no gain.**

The class began running towards the exit doors. Izuku, however, was paralyzed, staring at me with wide eyes, as if the world had just crumbled under his feet. Darting forwards, I snatched his wrist, tugging him towards Thirteen. The Space Hero was guiding everyone away, bringing up the rear of the fleeing crowd.

"T-Tenya!" I called out, rushing forwards. Tenya had been trying to get Izuku's attention, and failing. "R-run ahead! Y-you have to g-get n-news to the P-principal q-quickly!" Tenya was the fastest one here, so it made the most sense. I glanced over my shoulder at Mister Aizawa.

Eraserhead was in full swing, throwing villain after villain around with ease. Mister Aizawa had explained one-versus-group battle tactics to me before, but seeing it in action was very different. He used his eyes to create disarray, making a group collaboration almost impossible. The few people that got close to him were taken down in a rapid flurry of kicks and punches. His hair and scarf floated around him, and there was a faint glint of red behind his goggles. Mister Aizawa looked awesome, and I was proud that he was my mentor.

Tenya nodded, turning to run. "Alright, Ichigo," he said firmly, taking off with a burst of speed. Izuku and I paused for a moment, eyes wide at Tenya's never-seen-before burst of speed, before taking off after him.

"I WON'T LET YOU LEAVE!" A vortex opened up on the floor in front of the class. I skidded to a stop, staring in horror as the vortex guy rose from the floor, slowly taking shape. The off-black, purple tinted mist he was made of swirled ominously, swallowing the nearby light. His head took shape far higher than any normal human, yellow eyes gleaming ominously. "Nice to meet you," he began politely, despite his thunderous tone. "We are the League of Villains. It may be presumptuous of us, but we invited ourselves in to Yuuei Academy. We are here to battle All Might, so he might take his final breath." His voice remained even, as if he wasn't threatening the life of the Symbol of Peace himself. I tensed, hearing my suspicions confirmed. "That is neither here nor there, however," the villain continued, swelling to even loftier heights, wing-like constructions swelling. "This is the part I am to play."

Bakugo and Kirishima leaped forwards, attacking the living vortex. With a loud explosion, smoke when flying into the air. "Hah!" I heard Kirishima bark from somewhere ahead of me. "Didn't consider you'd get beaten by us first, huh?"

There was a moment of silence, and I clutched Izuku's hand. I didn't like this at all. It was too easy, there was no way a villain who snuck into Yuuei would be taken down so quickly by a pair of amateurs.

Sure enough, the villain's voice rang out again through the dust cloud. "Oh, that's dangerous," he remarked mockingly. The dust cleared as the vortex reformed, wavering slightly, as if the villain was unbalanced. "That's right, even if you are students, you are excellent golden eggs." He was seemingly unaffected by the large bomb Bakugo had just set off in his face.

"No," Thirteen started, sounding panicked. "Get away you two!" He ordered. Kirishima and Bakugo barely had time to glance over, wide eyed and shaken by the uselessness of their attack.

The vortex guy grew even larger, pulling the entire class into his shadow. "My job is to scatter you all," tendrils of purple tinted mist shot forward, swelling and wrapping around the entire class. I threw myself backwards, barely managing to avoid being caught. "AND TORTURE YOU TO DEATH!" Izuku, still tied in the tentacles, reached out to me. His eyes were wide and fearful. I flung myself forward unstably, hand outstretched, as the tendrils grew into a large dome, swallowing my friend whole.

"NO!" I turned to see Tenya, on the ground next to Ochako and a few other classmates. He must've pulled them out in time, I realized dully, stepping back from my futile charge towards the now shrinking portal. Tenya had saved several people, and I had failed at saving one. Mister Aizawa had trusted me.

He had trusted me to save them, and I still could try. "T-TENYA!" I screamed desperately, turning to see the boy still on the ground. He glanced at me, wild eyed. "G-GET OUT OF HERE WHILE YOU S-STILL C-CAN!" I ordered, pointing at the now unguarded doors. The portal-dome was starting to shrink.

Tenya scrambled to his feet, jaw set with determination. "Understood, Ichigo!"

"Here!" Ochako fell forward, barely managing to touch Tenya's ankle with her outstretched hand. She smiled brightly. "I can help you like I did before. Good luck, Tenya!"

Tenya stared at her a moment, starstruck, as the portal further shrunk. Then he smiled, facing the doors as the engines in his legs revved. "I will return!" He shouted, vanishing even faster than before, gone in a burst of engine smoke and loud revving.

I smiled tearfully, and hoped he was right. I turned to my other classmates. "Sh-Shoji! Is e-everyone here s-still?"

Shoji spread his tentacles, eyes and ears forming as he scanned the building. "Everyone is in the building," the masked boy confirmed, voice quiet and even. "But they are scattered." What was left of the group of students sighed in relief. I couldn't relax in the slightest, because I had already pieced their plan together. Obviously, this League of Villains had no shortage of members. They had adopted a "divide-and-conquer" strategy, spreading my classmates throughout the building, likely with goons waiting to outnumber and kill them.

I turned to Thirteen. "M-Mister Th-thirteen? W-what do w-we d-do now?" I begged, hoping that the Pro Hero could pull some inspirational trick like he did before and re-instill confidence in everyone.

"This damn bastard's quirk is the worst!" Sero snarled, glaring at the vortex-guy, who was slowly reforming. "Physical attacks are useless against him, and he can just warp us away - his quirk is the absolute worst!"

Thirteen stepped forward. "I shall do my best," he called, uncapping on of his fingers. "Black hole!" The off-black mist of the villain was instantly pulled into the Space Hero's own vortex, reeling him inwards easily. I stepped out of the way, unwilling to risk getting sucked. Tenya was long gone, it was our job to hold out for now.

I set my jaw, and turned towards the stairs. Down below, Mister Aizawa was still fighting, but the mob of villains was endless. I could speed down there and help him but… " _Then your goal is to avoid activating your quirk as much as possible. With a quirk like yours, your goal is to activate your quirk as late into a battle as you can manage._ " This wasn't a practice exercise, but the same rules that Mister Aizawa said applied. I didn't need to activate my quirk yet. Hardening my resolve, I turned back towards Thirteen.

"Black hole, a quirk that sucks up everything in its path and turns it to dust," The villain observed, unperturbed. I recoiled, disturbed by how unaffected the vortex guy was as he was slowly absorbed by the Thirteen's black hole. "I see. That is an astounding quirk," the villain complimented. "However, Thirteen, you are a hero who works to save people from disasters. As expected," Another vortex opened behind the Space Hero. "Your battle experience is less than half of other heroes. You will turn yourself to dust."

Thirteen turned around, shocked. "A warp gate!" The vortex carried Thirteen's own gravity over. I watched in stupefied horror as cracks appeared in Thirteen's spacesuit, before finally the back half vanished into the vortex. "He got me…" The Space Hero muttered, falling forwards. I heard one of the other students scream.

Blood was pounding in my ears. Thirteen had failed. He had lost, he was dying. My brain scrambled for a plan. I rushed forward, skidding to a stop on my knees. Hearing Thirteen's breathing, I sighed in relief. Grabbing the Space Hero's suit, I dragged him backwards, towards the edge of the stairs. "Please don't die, please don't die," I chanted softly, calculating my next move.

"Little girl," the vortex villain didn't bother trying to stop me, sounding very amused. His yellow eyes were angled upward, as if he was smiling. "What are you trying to do?"

I glared at him from the edge of the stairs, despite the fact my knees were shaking. "M-Mister Aizawa said t-to wait, b-but th-this seems l-like a good t-time. Sato!" The kid in the yellow costume jolted, sprinting towards me. The other students moved to block the way, which was a futile gesture at best, but at least they were trying. I felt better with their support. "W-when I s-say go, I need you to th-throw M-Mister Thirteen t-towards Mister Aizawa. He n-needs help," I could see my mentor slowing down as the battle carried on.

Sato stared at me with wide eyes. "But how-"

"Don't!" I interrupted. Taking a deep breath, I held my hands out. Wisps of steam tricked up between my fingers as my quirk activated. Sato pulled a sugar pouch out of nowhere, activating his own quirk, Sugar Rush. "P-please help Mister Aizawa," I pleaded, pressing my hands into the suit. Sato grabbed Thirteen's arms and shoulder, muscles bulged insanely. I pushed the energy through my hands. "GO!"

Sato threw Thirteen into the air, and the Space Hero flew. I could see the moment the hero regained consciousness, righting himself as he landed in the middle of a crowd of villains, facing Mister Aizawa. There was barely a pause, before he activated his quirk. With his suit broken, his back also acted as a part of the vortex. Over half of the horde of villains was absorbed instantly. Deactivating the black hole, Thirteen approached Mister Aizawa, turning his back and attacking as he went.

I faced the vortex villain, grinning proudly. The vortex guy looked shocked at Thirteen's sudden recovery. "Th-that's what I'm t-trying to do!" I said cheekily, holding up a peace sign, before darting down the stairs as fast as I could. The other students were at my back, laughing and smiling madly. We had actually managed to pull one over a real villain! "W-we need t-to rejoin M-Mister Aizawa! H-he can c-counter th-the vortex quirk!" I shouted to the others, grinning proudly. I felt giddy, the adrenaline pumping through my veins building the hype.

Sato gave me a thumbs up. "You got it, Kurosaki!" My classmates ran ahead of me, using their quirks to gain speed. I tried to keep up, but I fell behind anyways. Gritting my teeth, I tried to quell my frustration - and then I noticed the pale villain charging Mister Aizawa's exposed back. A bolt of fear ran down my spine. This was the villain in charge, and Mister Aizawa hadn't noticed him yet. Mister Aizawa was going to be attacked. I couldn't let that happen.

I moved before I could ever finish thinking, mind focusing on one fact: _He wasn't touching my mentor_.

I threw myself off the staircase, breaking both my legs as I landed in front of the villain and blocked his path. The grey haired man barely paused his charge, grabbing my wrist. I gasped as I felt the skin tingle, dry, and break. The villain grinned, jumping over my fallen form. He fell flat on his face.

Holding his ankle, I bared my teeth in a weak imitation of a smirk. I pushed myself to my feet, legs entirely healed. "Y-your q-quirk, it works on o-organic objects? I-is it like a d-decay?" I walked forward, blocking his way again as the villain pushed himself to his feet. I raised my fists. "Y-you w-won't get p-past me!"

The eyes behind the hand narrowed. "You aren't affected. A healing quirk?" He lunged forward, grabbing my wrist. "That's cheating," he mumbled through chapped lips, leaning in. His other hand slowly clasped over my face, trying to overwhelm my quirk's abilities. "But I can do better."

I grinned as steam poured out from under his hands. "C-can you?" I questioned, shoving him backwards. We both toppled forwards, and now I was kneeling over him. The last vestiges of steam rolled off my skin, perfectly healed. "S-so your quirk is d-decay?" I punched the villain in the face, feeling triumphant. "H-how useless!"

The next punch I aimed was blocked. "Regeneration!" The villain hissed, flinging a hand towards my throat. Four of his fingers touched my skin before I could grasp his wrist. Mister Aizawa's drilling took effect, and swinging myself to the ground, I bent his elbow back with a loud _crack!_ The villain screamed in pain, throwing me off of him, but the damage was already done.

"Your quirk o-only w-works w-when all f-five fingers t-touch," I noted with delight. "Y-you w-won't stand a ch-chance against Mister Aizawa!"

The grey haired man climbed to his feet, scratching his throat antsily. He glared at me from behind his hand-mask. "You are definitely cheating," he mumbled childishly, turning to look over his shoulder. "Noumu!"

I barely had the chance to register his words before I was sent flying. Something heavy slammed into my side, shattering my ribs and most of the bones in my left arm. The world around me blurred, until I crashed into a wall. Falling forwards limply, I felt my body temperature rise as the injuries healed. I pushed myself up, and gasped in shock.

Noumu was a gigantic black skinned creature, who towered over every person on the battlefield. His head was deformed, angular like an animals, and the top half of his skull was missing, revealing his brain. His eyes bulged like a bugs, spinning madly. He clenched his fists rhythmically, appearing anything but human. His tongue lolled out of his mouth, which fell open mindlessly.

The grey haired man pointed at Mister Aizawa. "Noumu, attack him," he ordered. The monster vanished in seconds, appearing over Mister Aizawa with his arm reeled back. I gasped at the show of speed, throat choking up as I tried to scream my mentor's name. Flinging myself forward, I raced back towards the battlefield, but I knew I would be too late. I could heal anything short of death, and that beast could kill with one punch.

Mister Aizawa flung himself backwards, barely managing to dodge the creature. His eyes flashed, clearly trying to weaken the monster, but Noumu was unaffected. With that odd, vapid look, he grabbed Mister Aizawa's head, and slammed his face into the ground. It was all faster than I could see, but the sight of Mister Aizawa face down on the pavement was the most terrifying thing I had ever seen.

Mister Aizawa was a hero. He was so very strong, and he'd been defeated by this creature like he was nothing. The monster was mindless. I shook with rage. My mentor had been defeated by a child with a toy. And toy's were on fun to play with if they had direction.

I changed course. The grey haired man's back was towards me, as he smiled garishly at the Noumu, who was steadily pouding Mister Aizawa face into the ground. My vision tunneled, and suddenly I wanted this man dead. I wanted him gone, where he could never hurt anyone I cared about again. I had so few precious people as it was.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I cinched the chokehold. With a rough tug, the man fell backwards, laying splayed on the ground with my arm crushing his throat. "Call it off n-now," I ordered, tightening the choke slowly. "B-because I w-won't ever h-have to move." The villain reached up, hands grasping my arm. I barely felt the skin tingle, and more than ever I was glad my quirk suppressed pain. The deadly decaying quirk felt ticklish, rather than harmful. "C-call it off," I repeated, digging my knee into the man's back, making the choke even more painful.

"N-noumu!" The man choked out. The beast let go of Mister Aizawa's head, and charged me instead. It's footsteps thudded heavily on the pavement, cracking the concrete with every heavy pound. Eye rolling, tongue lolling, it extended a meaty hand towards my face. I prepared myself, knowing it would crush my skull, and knotted my fingers together, shutting my eyes -

There was a loud sucking sound, and a guttural scream. I opened my eyes to see Thirteen with an uncapped finger extended. Behind him, most of the ground was missing as well. Thirteen's voice was surrounded with static as he said, "It is the duty of heroes to save others," he turned, and gave me a thumbs up. "Good job, Miss Kurosaki!" He then turned back to my classmates, who were still battling what was left of the goons.

I gave a small smile, still focused on the villain in my grip, who was now struggling even more. In an unexpected move, the villain elbowed me in the side, forcing the air from my lungs. Free, the villain shot to his feet, throwing me as far away as he could. I bounced on the pavement, shoulder dislocating, before rolling to a stop. My skin poured off steam as the new scratches and abrasions closed. The vaporized water brushed my skin gently, spinning gracefully into the air. I felt my swollen lip shrink, and grit my teeth in frustration. My body temperature had risen even further, I could practically feel the burning heat in my gut. My time was growing short. Shutting my eyes, I tried to think of a way I could beat this villain alone.

"You may regenerate, but you can still be winded," the villain observed, smiling behind his hand. "Not so unbeatable, hm?"

I glared at him. "M-maybe, b-but you forgot one th-thing," I pushed myself onto my knees. I couldn't defeat this villain on my own, but there was another way. I reached out for Mister Aizawa, who was laying comatose where Noumu left him. Latching onto my mentor's wrist, I grinned at the villain, whisps of steam pouring out of my mouth from my bloody gums. "I c-can sh-share my power w-with others!" Shutting my eyes, I visualized pushing a spark of energy into Mister Aizawa's body. Feeling the flames in my gut rise as I taxed myself further, I opened my eyes and watched as the hero was engulfed in a burst of steam.

Eyes watering from the sudden smack of burning water to the face, I crawled backwards. The steam was swirling in a thick, white cloud, but I could see a shadowed figure rise inside. As the vapor slowly danced upwards, Mister Aizawa exited the thick cloud, steam still curling off of his shoulders. His goggles were broken, but his eyes flashed a red brighter than before.

"I have to say," he drawled, scarf spinning in the air around him. "That was unexpected."


	7. Episode 7: Second Wind!

**起死回生**

 ** _Kishi kaisei_**

 **To come out of a desperate situation and make a complete return in one sudden burst.**

 _ **Quick Recap!:**_ _During Class 1-A's USJ field trip, villains invaded the school! In a desperate attempt to get help, Tenya Iida escaped the building. A villain made of black mist defeated the Space Hero, Number Thirteen, but Ichigo Kurosaki managed to save the hero's life, sending him to help the weakening Eraserhead in battling hundreds of minions below. Things appeared to be looking up, until the appearance of a monster called Noumu. Noumu easily crushed Eraserhead, and in a fit of rage Ichigo attacked the ringleader of the villains. Thirteen ambushed Noumu, vanquishing the monster, giving Ichigo the chance to heal her mentor. Now, Eraserhead is facing off against the ringleader of the villain invaders, who's quirk allows him to destroy things with a single touch…_

* * *

"I have to say," Mister Aizawa drawled, scarf spinning in the air around him. "That was unexpected," He stepped towards the grey haired villain, eyes flashing. "Ichigo, you are full of surprises."

I grinned, feeling tears rise in my eyes despite myself. The sight of Mister Aizawa bleeding and broken on the ground had shaken me deeply, but now he was fine. He was fine. "Of c-course," I said, wiping my eyes. "Isn't that what I'm h-here f-for?" I sniffled quietly, rubbing my nose with the torn sleeve of my gym uniform.

The grey haired villain pieced everything together. "You can spread your regeneration. That was how the Space Hero - I see," he glared at me hatefully, and I felt a chill run down my spine at the dark intent in his eyes. I would never be afraid of Bakugo's death stare again, because _this_ was true killing intent. I clenched my fists to keep my hands from shaking. "You really are cheating!" The villain shouted in frustration, reaching up with both hands to scratch his throat angrily. Blood began to run down his neck in tiny rivulets. I shuddered at the man's obvious insanity. He was making himself bleed!

"I don't know about cheating," Mister Aizawa negated lazily, strolling forwards. "But she certainly is useful." He lunged towards the villain, eyes glowing and scarf extended. Just before the cloth could touch the villain, a vortex opened under the grey haired man's feet. The grey haired man dropped through, avoiding Mister Aizawa's attack.

I turned around to see the hands-guy reappear in front of the fountain, standing next to vortex-guy. The grey haired, scruffy villain was looking very frustrated, while black-mist took the vague shape of a man next to him. "Tomura Shigaraki, what will you do now?" I immediately connected the name to the hands-guy.

"There's no point in staying here," Tomura scratched his neck frantically. "The Noumu is gone. Gameover. It's game over now."

The vortex guy nodded, or at least appeared to. "Then we should leave," he intoned, but made no move to do so. My eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Yes, yes we should," Tomura muttered, slowly turning towards the waterline. "We should leave -" He shot forwards, hand extended, and I finally noticed Izuku, Asui, and Mineta hiding behind the rocks. "But not before this!"

I barely managed to throw myself in the way. Tomura's hand grasped my shoulder, punctuated by a hiss of steam. I glared up at him. "N-not today!" I drove myself into his chest, pushing him away from my classmates, who looked stunned. "G-get out of h-here!" I yelled at them, charging towards Tomura. "Go h-help th-the others!" In my peripheral, I saw Mister Aizawa fighting the vortex-villain, aiming kicks and punches at the metal collar hidden in the black mist, using his quirk to keep the villain from teleporting away.

Throwing myself forwards, I covered Izuku and Co.'s escape route, as the three climbed out of the water and ran towards Thirteen, who was herding the remaining students together and towards the exit. I spotted a few kids that had been teleported away among the group, having escaped their respective danger zones.

Tomura stared at me with hatred. "You just keep getting in the way," he muttered fanatically. "Cheater, cheater, cheater…" He charged forwards, hands reaching for my throat.

"I-I'm not ch-cheating," I said, slipping under the punch. Wrapping my arms around Tomura's middle, I used his momentum to trip him, falling to the ground again. I crawled on top of him, using my legs to try and crush his neck.

Tomura flipped my hold, pinning me to the floor instead. "Cheater," he insisted, attempting to punch me in the face again. I barely managed to dodge to the side. "Shared regeneration is cheating." He grabbed my scarf, using it to drag me forward. Lifting me off the ground, he slammed his fist into my jaw, snapping my head sideways. Stunned for a moment, I fell back to the ground, and my scarf slowly dissolved in his grip, turning grey ashes and falling apart.

Recovering from the punch, I kicked him in the chest with both my legs, rolling backwards onto my hands, and pushing up onto my feet. Tomura flew backwards, landing on his back several feet away.

Tomura didn't even register in my mind. I desperately patted along my neck and shoulders, searching for my destroyed scarf. My hands found nothing but air. The colorless ashes on the ground taunted me, gently stirring to shift across the ground. I stared at them blankly, when a scrap of red fabric floated into my vision. I snatched it from the air, cupping it carefully. There was only a few square inches of cloth left. My vision blurred with tears until I couldn't see the remnant of the scarf in my grip.

Tomura climbed to his feet unsteadily. Grinning at the tears rolling down my cheeks, he charged forward, taking advantage of my stunned state.

He never reached me. "DIEE!" Bakugo howled, flying out of nowhere like a rocket. With a resounding _boom!_ , Tomura was sent flying with explosive force. Bakugo landed where Tomura had been standing, fingers smoking and snarling. "Don't ignore me, damnit!"

"Geez," Kirishima commented, walking up beside me. "Bakugo is seriously pissed," he grinned at me, but I was unresponsive, focused on the scrap of scarf in my hands. "Hey, Kurosaki?" Kirishima waved a hand in my face, before noticing what I was holding. "Oh, did something happen to your scarf? That sucks man. You could probably find a new one... " he glanced down at my expression, and flinched. "Oh shit, was it special? Maybe it's salvageable. You could make a bracelet or something out of it," he suggested, trying to comfort me.

I couldn't hear him over the roaring in my ears.

* * *

 _I was laying on my stomach in the middle of the carpet of the living room, surrounded by toys. The familiar sounds of cooking food sizzling filled the air, and I knew from the aroma that my grandmother was making my favorite American dish for dessert: apple pie. Making several loops on the paper in front of me, I huffed in frustration when the drawing came out all wrong. Crumpling up the paper, I tossed it away._

 _"What are you doing?" A soft, raspy voice asked from the kitchen. I looked up from the piece of paper I was scribbling on innocently._

 _"I'm drawing!" I squeaked excitedly, brandishing my brand new blue marker. "All the girls in my class have been making flowers, so I thought I'd try," Grabbing a new sheet of paper, I tried to draw a flower again._

 _My grandmother exited the kitchen, wiping her hands off on her apron. She smiled at the mess I was making. "You were doing drawings in class today?"_

 _I nodded happily. "Mhm!" My eyes widened as I remembered something. "Oh!" I ran around the couch, spotting my backpack. Digging through it, I found the paper I was looking for. In moments, I was back at my grandmother's feet, holding up my latest creation. "Look! I was supposed to draw my family, so I drew me and grandma at the park!"_

 _"Very good," Grandmother complimented, patting me on the head. She squinted at the paper. "Why didn't you draw your father and I?"_

 _I titled my head at her, confused. "Huh?"_

 _My grandmother laughed lightly. "Don't be so forgetful, Anmatsu! Your daddy and I go with you to the park too," She pinched my cheek. "Give mommy some credit." With a kiss on my head, grandmother walked back into the kitchen, continuing to cook. I lowered my drawing, staring at her turned back._

 _I clenched the scarf she had knitted for me yesterday tighter._

* * *

I shook my head slowly, exiting my stupor. "I-I'm so st-stupid," I muttered bitterly, tucking what was left of the scarf into the collar of my body suit, hidden under my gym uniform. What had I been thinking, taking my precious scarf into training? It could've just of easily been destroyed by one of the disaster zones. My idiocy had just removed one of my few precious belongings from my reach _forever_. Setting my jaw, I forced myself to look up and watch Bakugo fight Tomura.

The blonde was using his exposions to propel himself just out of Tomura's reach. He would shoot over the villains head, blind him, and then send another bomb at his back, never allowing Tomura a chance to touch him. It was fairly similar to his strategy with Izuku, but more calculated, less enraged. The blonde really was talented, I supposed, it was his attitude that needed fixing.

"I-It's fine," I told Kirishima shortly. "L-let Bakago h-hande th-this, y-you should go join th-the others."

Kirishima looked at me with wide eyes. "But I can help!" He protested.

"N-no," I disagreed, returning to watch Bakugo set off an explosion right under Tomura's feet, sending the villain flying into the air. "Y-you can't."

Once in the air, Tomura was at Bakugo's complete mercy. The blonde used his mobility to fling the villain around like a rag doll. When the villain finally stopped struggling, bleeding from nearly every place possible, Bakugo punted him towards the ground. The villain spun to the floor, landing heavily on the pavement at Mister Aizawa's feet. His fingers twitched, digging into the cement as it dissolved.

That's when everything took a wrong turn. In a flash, Tomura shot up and latched his hand over Mister Aizawa's face. The burst of steam that followed blocked the teacher's vision, and also his quirk. The vortex villain reacted immediately, black mist wrapping around Tomura as he vanished, teleporting to safety. In the mere second that passed, both of the lead villains had escaped, leaving their defeated minions behind.

I gaped at the place where the villains had been standing. "Th-they got away?" I murmured in disbelief.

"Unbelievable…" Kirishima muttered from behind me, having ignored my "suggestion" to go.

Mister Aizawa paused for a moment, staring at the spot where Tomura had escaped. Then, he sharply turned around, walking over to the spot where Noumu had assaulted him. Reaching into the puddle of blood (I shivered at the memory of the monster beating Mister Aizawa's face into the floor), he lifted his broken goggles. They were obviously beyond fixing, and with an angry "tch!", he hurled them into the lake. They disappeared into the stunningly smooth water with a tiny splash.

When Mister Aizawa turned back around, his face was calm, and I knew that would be the last I saw of his frustration about the situation. He walked over to us, hands in his pockets, returning to being a lazy teacher again.

"Kirishima, go join Thirteen," Mister Aizawa ordered as soon as he was close enough to be heard. Kirishima jumped at the sudden command, scrambling to reach Thirteen, who was taking a head count of the class. "Ichigo, do you still have time?"

I considered lying, because I really didn't want to heal anything else. The pain I had stored up from the battle today was already more than I had ever experienced. I could practically feel the lump in my gut waiting to unwind, once the fire of my quirk died. "Y-yes, Mister Aizawa," I mumbled anyways, remembering the sight of Izuku's crushed arm. "I c-can heal th-the o-others, b-but it needs to b-be quick."

Mister Aizawa nodded. "Then get over there. Tell Thirteen I'm circling the zones, cleaning up." I nodded, not bothering to ask what he would be "cleaning". Turning, I rushed over to where the other students were.

Izuku recognized me first. "Ichigo!" He stepped towards me, still cradling his shattered arm. "Are you okay? We left you fighting that villain -"

"I-I'm fine," I interrupted softly. "G-give me y-your arm," I reached out before he could, tapping his forehead. The tiny spark I managed to share from the dying fire in my gut easily healed his arm, along with any other scratches on his body. The steam that rose into the air stung my skin, and I felt the tiniest twinge of pain in my own right arm. I winced, knowing I was running short on time. Darting off before Izuku had a chance to thank me, I reached Thirteen. "Mister Th-Thirteen? Mister Aizawa is c-circling th-the zones. H-he's 'c-cleaning up'," I repeated, gasping as a sudden bolt of pain ran up my spine. "I-i-is th-there a-any m-m-m-major injuries h-h-here?" I stammered out, clenching and unclenching my fists unsteadily.

Thirteen shook his head. "No, Miss Kurosaki. There are no major injuries," he confirmed, before glancing down at me. His eyes shrunk under the helmet. "Miss Kurosaki, are you alright?"

"I-I w-w-will b-be," I said, smiling tiredly. I tried to convince myself I wasn't lying. Taking a few steps backwards, I stumbled slightly. I bumped into someone.

"Watch it, Ichimi!" Bakugo snarled. I spunaround, leg already snapping up in a vicious kick. Bakugo barely managed to throw himself back out of the way.

I gasped, bowing immediately. "I'm s-so s-s-sorry! I-I have t-t-to g-go!" I ran past him, dodging his hand as he tried to drag me back.

"ICHIMI!" He yelled furiously. My vision started to fade, slowly darkening, as my focus tunneled inwards on the lake shore. I could barely think straight. Tripping, I rolled head over heels to the edge of the water. Gasping for air, steam poured from my mouth, my temperature so high that I was now starting to create steam in my lungs. That was bad. I was out of time. Crawling forwards, I grasped the platform's ridge. Weakly, I dragged myself towards it, until I tumbled into the water head first.

I sank like a stone, too tired to tread water. Bubbles slipped from between my lips as my vision darkened further, my eyes closing slowly. I hoped the water would cool me down, but maybe I would drown instead.

As the flame within me was smothered, the stored pain from every injury I healed was unleashed. I convulsed under the water, biting my tongue as wave after wave of pain danced up my spine. My skin felt like it was on fire. The last of my air was instantly knocked from my lungs, as I danced insanely to the tune of the saved suffering. I couldn't tell when I finally fell unconscious.

* * *

 _"Please don't be difficult about this," Grandmother told me patiently as we stood outside the hairdresser's shop. "You need a haircut."_

 _I bit my lip, eyes welling up with tears. "But all th-the girls in my class have long hair! I'm n-nine now! Why can't I grow out m-my hair too!"_

 _Grandmother sighed heavily. "Anmatsu, boys don't have long hair! It's not proper," she pat my head. "I don't want you looking like those vagabonds out in the street." she said sternly._

 _"B-but -" I cut myself off, lowering my face. "Yes, mama," I mumbled quietly, defeated. Grandmother rarely listened to me when she was like this anyway._

* * *

"Ichimi! Don't hide in the water like a little bitch!" Bakugo roared, storming over to the water's edge. His hands were already popping with explosions, but as he looked down at the water, he realized something was wrong. There were no bubbles at the surface, and he could faintly see Ichigo's limp form sinking towards the bottom. He glared down at her sinking figure. "ICHIMI!"

Izuku popped up next to him, confused as to why Bakugo was screaming at Ichigo. "Kacchan? What is it…?" His voice petered off as he realized who was sinking towards the bottom. "TSUYU!" He shouted, knowing that Ichigo had sunk too far for him to reach in time.

The frog girl was there in moments. "Yes, Midoriya-chan?" She croaked.

Izuku pointed at the water frantically. "Ichigo's in there - you need to save her!" Tsuyu's eyes widened, and she leaped into the water immediately. With a huge splash, Tsuyu paddled through the water. Spotting Ichigo's unconscious form slowly floating downwards, long hair trailing after hair, Tsuyu propelled herself forwards, using her tongue to grab the tinier girl around the waist and tug her to the surface.

She threw Ichigo onto the platform, before immediately climbing out herself, holding her tongue. "Don' 'ouch her, _'ero_!" Tsuyu warned when Izuku reached for the girl.

Izuku noted Ichigo's unmoving chest. She wasn't breathing. "Sh-she needs CPR! She isn't breathing!" He said, panicking. He turned towards the gathered class, which was just starting to realize something was wrong. They were staring at Ichigo's drowned form, muttering. "Can anyone here perform CPR?!"

"I can," Yaoyorozu said, stepping forwards. She ran over to Ichigo's body, tilting the tiny girl's head back before crossing her hands on Ichigo's chest. She pumped the girl's diaphram a few times, with no response. Just as she prepared to start forcing the girl to breath manually, Ichigo started to cough weakly. She gasped for air, barely managing to inhale as she vomited out the water in her lungs. Yaoyorozu stood up. "She's burning up," Yaoyorozu observed, frowning thoughtfully. "Her temperature has to be over 100 degrees (celsius)."

Izuku frowned as well, before his eyes widened in realization. "Regeneration! Her quirk - if it works on a cellular level - would build up a ton of energy, right? She creates steam when she activates it! I thought that was asthetics, but..." he broke out into unintelligible muttering.

Yaoyorozu nodded, managing to follow Izuku's train of thought. "Whether her quirk is affected by time or number of injuries, Kurosaki has pushed her limit. We need to cool her down fast," Yaoyorozu turned to the class. "Todoroki! Are you there?"

Todoroki walked out of the crowd impassively. "What is it?"

"I need you to freeze Kurosaki," Yaoyorozu said. When Todoroki didn't move to do so, instead staring at Yaoyorozu like she was insane, the girl added, "It's necessary to save her life. She's going to turn to ash if she doesn't cool down."

Todoroki considered that for a moment, before letting ice spread from under his foot, lightly coating Ichigo's prone form. When the ice instantly melted, his eyes widened, and he covered her in ice again, this time with more, creating a thick coating of ice that covered everything but Ichigo's face. Water began to flow from the icy shell immediately, but this time the ice didn't vanish entirely.

At that moment, the doors of the USJ facility snapped open. Class 1-A looked up to see the gathered hero-teachers of Yuuei Academy at the top of the stairs, several minutes too late.

* * *

A/N So, to explain a few things really quick:

1) Why did Ichigo jump in the water if she new she was going to "crash"?

When Ichigo jumped into the water, she was already starting to feel pain. She could feel herself overheating - and if Ichigo overuses her quirk, she can literally combust - and knew that the water could cool her down. People who are delirious and in pain don't think things through. She just knew she was burning hot and needed to cool down. Ergo, jump in the water.

2) Why did Ichigo heal Izuku if she knew she had already pushed her limits?

Because Ichigo is a self-sacrificing little shit. I was just going to have her lie at first, but then I realized that wasn't in her character. Ichigo wants to heal others, to the point of insanity. She healed Izuku because that's what she does. Why didn't she consider the consequences? Quoting the above answer: "People who are delirious and in pain don't think things through."

3) What the heck is up with Ichigo's grandmother? Where are her parents? Why is living on the streets now?

Ichigo is an orphan, as stated in the summary. She was raised by her grandmother, which is why she views her grandma as her "family". Her grandmother IS NOT A VILLAIN. Please don't go hating on the grandmother just yet. As you can probably already tell, Ichigo's grandma isn't "all there". What exactly is wrong with her? Why did Ichigo finally run away? That is going to be answered in future chapters.

4) Didn't Tomura lose too easily?

He actually didn't XD. Tomura had the WORST match up possible with Ichigo. He did plenty of damage to her, but because Ichigo recovers instantly, Tomura was the one who came out worse for wear. By the time Bakugo showed up, Ichigo had already exhausted him. As someone who spars with boxing and grappling daily, I can say that fighting others is EXHAUSTING. Tomura lost because Ichigo's regeneration is the perfect match for his decay. His arm was broken when he was facing Bakugo too!


	8. Episode 8: Flowers and Hospital Visits!

**継続は力なり。**

 ** _Keizoku wa chikara nari_**

 **Perseverance is power**

 _Beep… Beep… Beep…_

I woke up with a splitting headache. Opening my eyes slowly, I tried to ignore the feeling of something slamming an axe into my skull repeatedly. I caught a glimpse of the school infirmary before I was forced to shut my eyes again, as the bright lights turned the axe hitting my skull into a bus.

"Oww…" I groaned quietly, reaching up to cover my eyes.

"Congratulations," a familiar voice droned. "You are the first student I've had in the infirmary."

I smiled, despite my headache, at the sound of Mister Aizawa's voice. Had he been waiting for me to wake up? "Aww, y-you do c-care," I teased.

Mister Aizawa was not impressed. "Kurosaki, you're the only student in my class with healing abilities. Do you realize how ridiculous this sounds?" I frowned at the change of address. He'd been calling me Ichigo before…

"Th-that means I've b-been d-doing my job," I muttered petulantly, trying to open my eyes again. Mister Aizawa was sitting in a chair near the foot of my hospital bed. There was one bandage covering his cheek, which I assumed was the result of "cleaning up" the USJ after the invasion.

Now that my eyes were open, Mister Aizawa took the opportunity to stare at me with dead eyes. "You've been doing too much of your job," he said without inflection. I shuddered in fear. "Recovery Girl is keeping you here for the next twenty-four hours on watch. I'll have one of your classmates bring your homework to you tomorrow," he flipped out his phone. "Is there anyone you want to contact?"

I panicked for a moment, because not calling anyone to update them on my "condition" would be suspicious - before I remembered that I actually did have someone to call. "Y-yes, please," I murmured, reaching out to grab Mister Aizawa's phone. Checking the time, I found that I'd been unconscious for around two hours. Curiosity sated, I dialed the number for Missus Yukihime's flower shop.

It rang for a few seconds, before the old lady picked up. "Hello? This is Missus Yukihime's Flower Store, how can I help you?"

"M-Missus Yukihime, th-this is I-Ichigo," I stammered, fiddling with the white hospital sheets in my lap.

I could almost hear the old woman's smile. "Miss Ichigo? What's going on?"

"I-I'm not going t-to b-be able to visit th-the shop t-tonight," I said apologetically. "S-sorry." I bit my lip, hoping she wouldn't become angry with me.

Missus Yukihime laughed. "It's quite alright. I can take care of the shop tonight. May I ask why?"

"Oh. Um, I-I'm kind of in th-the hospital," I explained, cheeks turning red. I had a healing quirk, Mister Aizawa was right, that did sound stupid. "Th-there was a t-training accident at s-school."

"My goodness! I hope you get better then. Do you know when you'll be released?" Missus Yukihime asked concernedly.

I nodded frantically, forgetting that she couldn't see. "Y-yes, by t-tomorrow! Th-thank you, Missus Yukihime!" I grinned happily, ecstatic that I wouldn't be losing my shelter/job.

"Of course, call me again if anything changes. I hope you recover quickly," Miss Yukihime finished.

"Th-thank you," I repeated. "P-please have a good evening!" I finished, ending the call. I lowered the phone from my ear, still grinning way-too-widely. I handed the cellphone back to Mister Aizawa, practically bouncing.

Mister Aizawa pocketed the phone, glancing at me suspiciously. "Who was that?"

"M-my employer," I answered shortly, still dancing in my seat excitedly. "Sh-she said th-that it's okay!" My smile grew even brighter.

Mister Aizawa nodded. "Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow morning. Recovery Girl should be here to check on you soon enough, she'll have some of the bots bring you lunch. Need anything before I go?" This would've sounded kind coming from someone else, but from my teacher's mouth it came off more like I dare you to ask me for something.

I have never been very brave. "N-nope," I shook my head. "Have a good e-evening!" I waved cheerily.

"Yeah. Night," Mister Aizawa grunted, shoving his hands in his pockets and shuffling out the door. I was still bouncing five minutes later, until I realized that I had nothing to do. Scanning the room, I searched for something to summon a robot or Recovery Girl. I was sure that I wasn't allowed to leave my bed. I found nothing.

By the time Recovery Girl arrived an hour later, I was crying from boredom.

* * *

Izuku visited me the next morning. He stumbled through the infirmary door looking very distressed. He scanned the many empty hospital beds before spotting me near the window in the last bed. He scurried over, eyes wide.

"I-Ichigo! I'm so glad you're okay, I heard you were in the hospital and -" he gasped for air, clearly having run all the way here. He bowed, rushing out, " _I'msosorryyouhurtyourselfhealingme_!"

I blinked in shock, before turning bright red. "I-It's alright! It w-wasn't your f-fault a-anyways. I p-pushed myself t-too m-much fighting T-Tomura," I stuttered, pulling on Izuku's shoulders so he'd stand up.

"Tomura?" Izuku repeated, confused.

I realized Izuku hadn't been around for that part. "Um, the villain w-with th-the hands? H-his name w-was T-Tomura Shigaraki," I explained, fidgeting as I remembered the battle from yesterday. Tomura had been far more powerful and skilled than I was, I was just lucky enough to have the perfect quirk for fighting him. If he appeared again - and I was sure he would - he would be ready to counteract my power.

"Oh. Tomura Shigaraki? Does the Police Force know?" Izuku asked, clearly already planning to go research the name.

I nodded. "P-probably. M-mister Aizawa heard h-his n-name as w-well, so th-they should."

The door slammed open suddenly, and both Izuku and I looked towards it immediately. Tenya marched into the room first, glasses shining in determination, while Ochako ran past him in a flurry, throwing herself over my legs on the bed.

"I can't believe you're in the hospitaaaall," she flubbered, streams of water pouring down her cheeks. "Why didn't you call meeee!" She turned her wide, teary eyes on me pathetically.

I wilted, leaning forward to pat her head. "I-I'm sorry, Ocha-chan," I apologized, smiling. "B-but I p-promise I'm okay n-now!"

Tenya appeared, and whipped out a gigantic bouquet from thin air. "Ichigo! When I heard you were in the hospital, I came as soon as I could. This is from me," he laid the enormous bouquet down on my bedside table, then pulled out another one. "This is from my brother. He thanks you for fighting so valiantly to protect Yuuei Academy!" As soon as that bundle of flowers was laid down, yet another bouquet appeared. "And this is from my father! He said that…"

I slowly slouched down, watching Tenya pull out bouquet after bouquet delivering messages from all of his family members. Izuku was also slumped in disbelief, staring at Tenya's growing menagerie of flowers. Even Ochako stopped crying to watch the spectacle.

"... and finally, this is from my great uncle, who says that you display every inch of what a hero is!" Tenya finished, laying the final bouquet down. The flowers were on both sides of my bed, piling up to the ceiling and pouring off the tables.

I blinked, looking at the mountains of flowers for one long, awkward pause. "Th-thank you?" I said slowly. I glanced at Izuku and Ochako, who appeared petrified. I couldn't stop myself from bursting into giggles.

* * *

It was around lunch time when the door of the infirmary opened again. I looked up from my papers, which Tenya had delivered to me earlier (as " _my duty and honor as Class Representative demands, and I once again thank you for nominating me!_ ") and was surprised to see Momo Yaoyorozu.

"Y-yaoyorozu!" I squeaked out, face turning red. "Th-thank you f-for helping m-me b-before, Izukun t-told m-me you s-saved m-me from d-drowning and -"

Yaoyorozu held up a hand, and I immediately shut my mouth. She smiled at me gently. "I'm glad I was able to help you, especially after all you did during the invasion. I heard from Uraraka that you were in the infirmary," she sat down in one of the chairs near my bed, leftover from when Izuku, Tenya, and Ochako visited this morning. "Have you been feeling better?"

I nodded eagerly. "Y-yes! R-Recovery Girl s-said I w-would b-be free to g-go a-after school t-today, if th-there were n-no c-complications." I bit my lip, hoping I had said the right thing. Yaoyorozu seemed so put together and calm, I felt a bit unstable in her presence. She was everything I wasn't: tall, pretty, confident, and with an awesome quirk that could work both offensively and defensively.

"That's good. Excellent, actually," Yaoyorozu responded. She frowned, reaching forward to touch my forehead. "Are you okay, Kurosaki? Your face is very red…"

I leaned back, waving my hands frantically. "O-oh no, its a-alright! I j-just b-blush a l-lot!" I felt my face become even hotter as I spoke. I wouldn't be surprised if my entire face and ears were red at this point.

"If you're sure," Yaoyorozu said doubtfully. She leaned back, and closed her eyes. "I have to say, what you did at the USJ was very impressive. You were able to go toe-to-toe with an actual villain, and come away with minimal injuries. It's incredible that you managed to heal Midoriya afterwards as well."

I shook my head. "N-not r-really. I j-just got l-lucky th-that my quirk w-was a perfect c-counter."

Yaoyorozu smiled. "I don't believe that's the case. You managed to evade the teleporting villain as well," I frowned, wondering how she knew that. "Ashido informed me. She wanted to thank you as well, but she hasn't had a chance to visit yet." I now stared at her suspiciously, hoping she wasn't telepathic, while she sighed deeply. "Honestly, I wish I could've done what you had. Your quirk is innately useful for helping others."

I grinned shyly, feeling very proud that Yaoyorozu wished she could do something I did. "I-I'm s-sure your quirk c-could be u-useful h-helping others as w-well. Y-you do v-very well with chemistry, r-right? Y-you could l-learn F-First Aid. W-with y-your abilities, y-you could m-make m-medical supplies at a-any time," I suggested.

"That's true, I hadn't considered that," Yaoyorozu agreed. She noticed the papers in my lap. "Oh, is that today's English work? Do you need any assistance? I'm sure it's more difficult when you miss class."

I shook my head, smiling contently. "Th-that's alright. I-I'm a-actually fluent in English a-as of two years ago," I told her, answering the last question on the worksheet. "I asked Mister P-Present Mic if I c-could have a-all the w-work for the month, s-so my time wouldn't be w-wasted s-sitting here."

"You're fluent in English?" Yaoyorozu repeated, surprised.

"Mhm!" I confirmed. I couldn't help but brag a little, my intelligence was always something I took extreme pride in. "I l-learn languages a-as a hobby. I c-can speak English, G-German, and S-Spanish, a-and I'm learning Latin c-currently," I grinned cheekily. "W-well, a-and of course J-Japanese."

Yaoyorozu was stunned for a moment, before she laughed lightly. "You must be quite the intellectual! Do you know any chemistry? I've never been able to have conversations with others about it before," she sounded surprisingly eager. I was taken aback, because no one had ever had that response to my "hobby" before.

"I know s-some organic ch-chemistry," I responded, realizing that this was a person I could have true intellectual conversations with. "I-I wanted t-to know how my quirk w-worked. I c-can do more r-research though, i-if you wanted to t-talk," I offered.

Yaoyorozu squealed. "That is wonderful! I am sure we will be very good friends!" I couldn't help but grin back ecstatically. I had another new friend, this was great!

I was released from the infirmary that evening, with a warning not to use my quirk again for at least another day. "I don't want you back in here again," Recovery Girl had told me sternly. The sentiment was redoubled on my part, and as soon as my papers were signed I was running out the door, braids flying behind me. They were several inches longer than before, a result of using my quirk for an extended period of time.

* * *

I reached Missus Yukihime's flower shop only an hour after school released, bouncing in through the glass door. A tiny bell rang as I entered the store, and my sneakers squeaked on the dark green tile. I carefully caught the door before it could bang into the beige walls. Missus Yukihime peeked out from behind the white counter in the back immediately, and she smiled when she saw me.

"Miss Ichigo, it's good to see you again!" She greeted, walking over to me. "Are you feeling better now?"

I nodded. "Y-yes ma'am! J-just got released from th-the infirmary and e-everything. I'm n-not s-supposed to s-stress myself though," I shook my head, remembering those directions. The only way I could be not stressed was if I stayed in an isolated, padded room, and even then I could probably find a way to angst over _something_.

"I'm glad then," Missus Yukihime said. "Do you have any homework to do?"

"N-nope," I answered, grinning triumphantly. "I-I'm actually several m-months ahead now!"

Missus Yukihime sighed, shaking her head. "I wish I had been that smart when I was your age," she said mournfully, walking towards one of the many shelves of flower boxes lining the walls. "The amount of trouble it would've saved me…" She reached out and plucked a flower from one of the displays. Running her fingers along the stem, she held it out to me. "I wanted to give you this."

I eyed the beautiful flower. It was a soft purple, with large blooming petals and a spike running up from the center. "I-It's very pretty," I complimented, wondering what was so special about it.

"It was my husband's favorite," Missus Yukihime confided. "The gladiolus was favored by gladiators during roman times. It represents honor, strength of character, and the will to never give up," she tucked the flower behind my ear gently. "It should serve you well, if you plan to become a hero." There was a pregnant pause, while I absorbed that information. Missus Yukihime clapped her hands together suddenly. "Now why don't you get started cleaning, hm? I'm not paying you for standing there looking pretty!" She said, returning to her spot behind the counter.

I giggled, cheeks turning pink. "You g-got it!"


	9. Episode 9: A New Scarf!

**花よりだんご**

 ** _hana yori dango_**

 **The person to whom [the gift] is directed prefers practical gain to aesthetics.**

The bus screeched to a stop, and I hopped off it hurriedly. The same guy from two days ago had been there _again_ , and he was still staring at me. Searching the bus stop for Ochako, I grinned when I saw a brunette head among the crowd.

"O-Ocha-chan!" I called, weaving my way over. "G-good morning - oh!" I paused, seeing not only Ochako, but Izuku and Tenya as well. "Uh, hey guys. S-since when do y-you c-come here?"

Tenya saluted me, glasses shining. "Izuku has recently expressed his fears that the villains would target you outside of school in retaliation for yesterday's events. We are here to escort you to Yuuei Academy safely-"

Ochako giggled, stepping in front of Tenya and interrupting his speech. "We're all walking to school together for safety," she said shortly.

"O-Okay," I agreed, surprised. I looked to Izuku with wide eyes. He was smiling fairly proudly, staring off into the distance. I swear his eyes were sparkling. "I-Izukun?"

Izuku jolted. "H-huh? Sorry, what is it, Ichigo?" He glanced down at me.

"Hmph," I puffed out my cheeks, crossing my arms. "I w-wanted to ask if y-you were okay, b-but w-whatever…" I pouted sullenly.

"N-No!" Izuku waved his hands frantically, thinking I was actually upset. "I didn't mean to offend you - I was just thinking - _I'msosorrypleaseforgiveme_!" As he rushed through his words, I had to struggle to keep a straight face. He actually thought I was serious?

Ochako broke down first, bursting into laughter. That broke the dam for me as well, and soon we were both leaning on each other, giggling until there were tears in our eyes.

Izuku was still confused, but now he was concerned as well. "Ochako? Ichigo?"

"I believe," Tenya began, pushing up his glasses. "That Ichigo was employing the use of 'sarcasm'." He delivered the line so seriously that Ochako and I broke down all over again.

Izuku blushed. "Oh," he said in a small voice. Ochako pat him on the shoulder heavily, unable to speak. I wiped the tears from my eyes, gasping for air as well.

"Let us begin walking to school!" Tenya said enthusiastically, exaggeratedly miming walking down the street.

Ochako nodded, still smiling. "Right! Let's go!" Behind her, I grinned as well, automatically reaching up to adjust my scarf. My hands found nothing. My smile fell for a moment, before I noticed Izuku glancing at me, and I pasted a happy expression on my face. Fake it 'til you make it, I told myself with determination, ignoring the all consuming sense of loss in my gut.

* * *

As soon as I walked through the classroom doors, I was ambushed by our classmates. Mina Ashido, Denki Kaminari, and Hanta Sero, were almost always together, and getting into trouble. As soon as they saw me, they started over, smiling widely and talking up a storm. I mentally dubbed them the "Terror Trio," both for their insane antics and how their loudness absolutely terrified me.

"Hey Kurosaki! Good to see you here!" Kaminari said first.

"Yeah," Sero agreed, appearing beside me. He leaned over, emphasizing my shortness. I leaned away from him. "Are you feeling better? I heard you were in the hospital for a whole day."

Ashido walked up to my other side, forcing me to step backwards and out the doorway again. "That had to suck! I've been in the hospital before, it's soo boring!"

"Y-yeah, i-i-it is," I stammered, wondering if they'd be offended if I slammed the door shut in their faces and ran away.

Tenya took care of the problem for me. "It is time for class to begin!" He yelled, running to the podium at the head of the classroom. "Please stop talking and get into your seats!" Using this as an excuse, I muttered an apology and darted to my seat.

Yaoyorozu waved at me from her chair, directly behind me. "Good morning, Kurosaki," she greeted cheerily.

"M-morning, Yaoyorozu!" I squeaked, face turning red. "I-I didn't get th-the ch-chance to ask you y-yesterday, b-but," I inhaled deeply. " _PleasecallmeIchigo_!" My blush became brighter as I realized I had repeated my mistake from the first day of school, speaking so quickly I wasn't understandable.

Yaoyorozu decoded my incoherent request quickly. I was so lucky that all of my friends were socially adept, unlike me. "Of course, Ichigo," she agreed. "Please call me Momo, as well."

I grinned happily. "Alright, Momo!" I turned back around in my seat just as Mister Aizawa walked through the door. The bandage from yesterday was gone, so he walked in looking entirely unaffected.

"Morning, everyone," Mister Aizawa droned, eyes lazily scanning the class.

Everyone responded in unison. "Good morning, Mister Aizawa!" Tenya had trained us well.

Mister Aizawa grunted in acknowledgement. I covered my mouth to hide my giggles. "I didn't make this announcement yesterday because someone was absent," I stopped laughing as everyone turned to glance at me. "The Yuuei Sports Festival starts soon. As you know, joining a famous hero agency can help you gain a headstart on job experience and popularity. The Yuuei Festival is a scouting opportunity for every major agency in the books - it's not optional for any would-be hero. You get one shot a year, three in a lifetime," the entire class tensed and broke out into muttering at Mister Aizawa's introduction. Remembering the media coverage done of competition myself, I shuddered. This would mean being on national - no, international - broadcasting. "You have two weeks to train and prepare. This could determine the rest of your careers, be ready."

"Yes, Mister Aizawa," I said with the rest of the class, feeling anything _but_ ready.

* * *

The final bell rang, and the other students prepared to leave the classroom. Gathering my stuff together, I got ready to join Mister Aizawa for afternoon training. Pulling my duffel bag out from under my desk, I made my way through the halls, until I reached the same outdoor field where we'd held the Quirk Assessment Test.

I stopped by the changing rooms, sticking my backpack and neatly folded uniform inside one of the compartments. Pulling out my bodysuit and boots, I quickly ran out the door, not bothering with the jumper. The last time I had, Mister Aizawa had grabbed the hoodie and threw me around with it. His point of not wearing anything loose came across very well.

Mister Aizawa was standing in the middle of the field waiting for me. Running up behind him, I smiled, barely out of breath. "I-I'm ready to start t-training!" I called.

"Good," Mister Aizawa grunted, turning. I spotted the wrapped paper package in his hands, and looked at it curiously. Mister Aizawa took the opportunity to chuck it at my face.

I barely managed to catch it, holding it against my chest and hoping it wasn't fragile. "W-what is it?" I asked, staring at Mister Aizawa with wide eyes.

The teacher looked at me like I was stupid. "Why don't you open it and find out?"

I blinked, then blushed in embarrassment. Hurriedly unwrapping the package, I gaped at the red scarf inside. It shined oddly in the light, clearly not made of cloth. Picking it up, and letting the paper fall to the floor, I held it in my hands, investigating my apparent new scarf.

"After your performance at the USJ two days ago, I got a heads up from the agency to start training you with this," Mister Aizawa explained. I looked up at him, starstruck. I was sure that my eyes were shining, and a convenient breeze tossed my braids into the air. "I'll use the next two weeks to train you to use it. You won't have it in the competition, but… if you're going to learn my fighting style, you might as well go all the way."

I absorbed this for a moment, before grinning so hard my cheeks hurt. "Th-thank you, Mister Aizawa! I won't let you down!"

Mister Aizawa just shrugged. "This upcoming competition isn't as big a deal for you as it is for the others. You already have a guaranteed apprenticeship, as long as you make it to the final stage, the agency won't care," he glanced at me, eyes sparking with dark humor. "So don't screw up."

I nodded, still smiling brightly. "You got it!" I cheered, wrapping the scarf around my neck. It was large enough to cover my shoulders and bottom half of my face. I clenched my fists, suddenly much more excited about the upcoming training session. "Let's do this!"

* * *

The next two weeks went by in a blur. Mister Aizawa had me drilling every day from dawn to dusk. I was lucky Missus Yukihime was so amenable about my late hours. My scarf had become my new constant companion, though luckily no one questioned it. I suppose my classmates wrote it off as a simple replacement. I didn't speak about my training to anyone, as per Mister Aizawa's instructions. I wasn't supposed to give away any aces, since my quirk had already been revealed (though I still had yet to let anyone know about the stored pain factor).

Over that time period, my fighting style also changed drastically. Using a capture weapon like my scarf required a lot of mobility and manuvering, especially since, unlike Mister Aizawa, I couldn't block quirks. I was currently more capable than most gymnasts.

" _Hah…_ _Hah…_ I-I'm done," I panted, hands on my hips. It took all of my willpower not to lean forward and block my airways. After running two miles straight without pause, I was exhausted. What kind of "warm-up exercise" was this?!

Standing in the center of the clay training field, Mister Aizawa held out his usual remote. With the click of a button, the ground opened up, and suddenly I was standing in front of a complex obstacle course. A climbing wall, mudpit, monkey bars, and twenty foot sheer drop extended out before me. I stared at the course in horror, eyes wide. Please no, please no, please no, I begged mentally.

"You'll run this course until you can complete it in three minutes," Mister Aizawa said unsympathetically, showing me the timer in his hands. "You'll do it as many times as necessary."

I blinked at him, then slumped in defeated. "I'm going to d-die," I whispered dramatically.

"Only if you break your neck on the drop," Mister Aizawa answered matter of factly. I flinched, sweating buckets at the thought. "I taught you how to land properly, so it shouldn't be a problem. If you die, it's your fault."

He's completely absolving himself of the blame, I realized fearfully. "Y-y-yes, Mister A-Aizawa!" I squeaked, darting off towards the obstacle course. I only left hours later, having run the course sixteen times before finally finishing.

Training with Mister Aizawa was incredibly effective though, as long as I survived it. I had never been in better shape - and now I could do backflips, frontflips, handstands, and backbends whenever I wanted. It was almost worth having to do the obstacle course again the next day.

Almost.

* * *

A week after the announcement, the entire class was still talking about the upcoming festival nonstop. Everyone was ridiculously hyped about the upcoming event, but to me it didn't really mean anything. As wonderfully educational as Mister Aizawa's training was, the festival was going to mean being on international television. I had considered this when applying, but having my face being broadcasted in multiple countries, watched by billions of people, was my worst nightmare.

Walking towards the lunch room with Ochako, Izuku, and Tenya, I wondered if the class realized that some of us would be forced to make fools of ourselves during this. Only one person could win the competition. Luckily, I only had to make the top forty-two, but hearing Tenya chatter on about doing his family's name honor and justice was disconcerting.

"I w-wonder why everyone is s-so determined," I said, catching my friends attentions. I looked up at the ceiling as I thought aloud. "Th-there's only one p-person w-who can w-win anyways, s-some of us w-will h-have to settle," Izuku's eyes widened, and he appeared to have an epiphany. I glanced at him curiously, but Ochako was already talking.

She held up her clenched fist, looking determined. "I want to win. If I didn't aim for the top, how could I have made it into Yuuei?" Her usually kind brown eyes were lit with an eerie light. I leaned back and shivered profusely. Ochako had a secondary personality that was loudly terrifying. I wasn't sure what scared me more, her boisterousness or her enthusiasm.

Izuku took this moment to ask, "Hey, Ochako? Why _did_ you want to become a hero? I never had the chance to ask." Ochako blushed, scratching the back of her head sheepishly. She muttered something unintelligible, but Izuku somehow managed to translate. "For money?!" He repeated, looking stunned.

"Yeah, I guess, ultimately," Ochako confirmed. When all three of us stared at her in astoundment, she raised her hands to her cheeks, appearing very embarassed. "Man, sorry, I know it sounds lame, like I'm not being pure as a hero! Tenya and you are so determined and stuff, and I just-" she hid her face entirely.

Tenya waved his arms wildly. "Don't be sorry!" He assured her. "What on Earth is there not to admire about applying yourself towards a comfortable life?"

"Yeah…" Izuku agreed, mumbling to me, "though it _is_ unexpected," I nodded heartily in agreement, readjusting my scarf when it fell down.

Ochako looked to the floor, still flustered. "I probably shouldn't be telling anyone about things like this, but…" she glanced around and leaned in, as if she was telling us a huge secret. The three of us leaned in as well. "I've been working at my family's construction company, but there's no real construction going on, so we're flat broke!"

I blinked in surprise. "C-construction? I suppose th-there wouldn't be any g-good j-jobs around now," All the population and city downsizing had eliminated the need for new houses. Demolition companies would probably be more financially sound.

"With a quirk like yours," Izuku said thoughtfully. "If you got permission to work anywhere, it'd be super economical!"

Ochako spun around, pointing at Izuku excitedly. "I KNOW RIGHT?! THAT'S WHAT I TOLD MY DAD!" She squealed, before pausing. "But… that's not really an option. Which is why," she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and then stared Izuku, Tenya, and I down with determination. "I'm going to become a hero and earn money, without fail," she declared. "And I'm going to give my parents the easy life they deserve!"

Izuku stared at Ochako with wide eyes. Tenya burst out into cheers, clapping for Ochako's ambition to help her family. I couldn't help how my eyes misted over, and I turned away from my friends defensively, pulling my scarf up to hide my face. I wish I had a family to protect, I wish I could have Ochako's resolve to help her family, or Izuku's to hopes save people, or Tenya's dream of joining his brother. Everything I had done had been because of survival. The closest I had gotten to selflessness was the fight at the USJ, and even then my life had been on the line.

"Hey, Ichigo," I glanced over at Izuku, eyes still wet. "Why do you want to be a hero?"

I sighed heavily, turning away. I bit my lip and dug my nails into my palms, trying desperately to stop myself from crying again as old wounds reopened. "I-I w-w-want to b-be a h-hero f-for th-the kids who g-get forgotten," I said thickly. My voice sounded choked, so I took a deep breath and spoke more clearly. "It's p-probably similar t-to Ochako's goals, b-but I-I want t-to earn enough m-money t-to h-help the kids w-who end up in h-homes w-where they have n-no w-way out," I swallowed, remembering my own home. "I w-want t-to create a b-better option." I turned around to see Ochako, Izuku, and Tenya looking at me, silently stunned. I forced myself to smile, trying to pass off the emotional moment as a joke. "Or s-something l-like that anyways."

Izuku spoke first. "I-Ichigo, that's really-"

"INCREDIBLE!" Tenya roared, clapping his hands loudly. Ochako joined in, and the two began cheering loudly. "BRAVO! BRAVO! SO SELFLESS! SO COOL! TRULY YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION!" Ochako added her own celebratory words in between Tenya's shouts of encouragement.

I turned fire engine red, hiding my face behind my equally red scarf, until only my eyes peeked out. "Th-thanks guys," I stammered out. "B-but r-really, it's not all th-that cool, you know…"

Somewhere along the line, I saw a skeletal looking blonde man appear and tap Izuku on the shoulder. They quickly exchanged some words, before walking off together, using Tenya and Ochako's antics as a distraction. I watched them walk off suspiciously, unable to shake the feeling that the blonde man was someone I knew.

For a moment, I imagined his shaggy bangs standing up ontop of his head. I felt a chill run down my spine. All Might was super scary, there was no way that guy was him. That guy wasn't terrifying at all, he looked more like a corpse.

I turned my eyes back to Ochako and Tenya erasing the odd encounter from my mind. Izuku could talk to whoever he wanted after all, it wasn't my business to pry.


	10. Episode 10: A Four Way Competition!

**猫に鰹節**

 ** _neko ni katsuobushi_**

 **A situation where one can not let their guard down**

I woke up early for the day of the competition. Missus Yukihime had allowed me to buy a sleeping bag last week, which I kept in the back. Putting on my uniform, I took the extra ten minutes to carefully brush and braid my hair, which now reached the back of my knees.

Rubbing my eyes, I walked out to the front of the store, and froze. Missus Yukihime was waiting in the main area, calmly watering her flowers. She was wearing a blue sundress with a large hat and matching bow. Hearing me enter the room, she glanced up and smiled at me. "Miss Ichigo! You're getting ready for the Yuuei Sports Festival today, correct?"

"U-uh, yes, Missus Y-Yukihime," I confirmed, confused as to why she was here so early.

"Excellent!" She placed down the metal watering can next to the register. "I thought we should go eat breakfast out today, as celebration. You don't want to enter the competition on anything less than a full stomach, right?"

I gaped at her for a moment, before grinning widely. "Y-yes, ma'am! Thank you!" I rushed towards the door, pausing to hold it open. I bounced on my toes from excitement, eagerly waiting while Missus Yukihime grabbed her purse.

"Don't run too far ahead of me," She laughed, strolling out the door at a much slower rate. "There's a small cafe down the street, it serves American food. We'll stop there, okay?" I nodded so quickly, my neck hurt. American food was the best!

* * *

Sitting at one of the many tables in the lounge rooms under the stadium, I bounced my leg anxiously. I was really, really, really nervous about this competition, even though it wasn't going to affect my career. I was going to be on international television! What if I did something stupid, like fall on my face or get trampled because of my height? What if I used my quirk, and crashed during the competition? What if -

"Uh, Icchan?" I glanced up to see Ochako, who was looking at me in concern. "Are you okay? You look like you're having an anxiety attack or something."

I shook my head. "N-no, j-just nervous," I bit my lip, gripping my gym uniform pants tightly. "W-we're going t-to b-be on international t-television!"

"Yeah," Ochako laughed sheepishly, taking the seat across from me. "It is pretty nerve wracking, huh? But we've been preparing for this for weeks. You survived the villain invasion," she smiled at me reassuringly. "I'm sure we'll survive this too!"

I sighed. "M-maybe," I mumbled. "Th-this is m-much m-more t-terrifying, if y-you ask m-me." Ochako opened her mouth to say something, but she was interrupted by a hand slamming down on the table. I leaped to my feet, chair falling to the floor behind me. "W-why did you d-do th-that?!" I demanded.

Bakugo glared at me with fiery eyes, fists still planted on the table. He held up his other hand menacingly, small explosions sparking on his fingers. "ICHIMI! YOU BETTER MAKE IT THROUGH THIS THING, CAUSE I'M GONNA BEAT YOU, YA HEAR?!"

"Y-yeah," I gulped, gathering together what little confidence I had. "I d-don't see what th-the big deal is th-though, _Bakago_. Wh-why do you w-want t-to fight me so b-badly?"

The blonde pointed at me accusingly. "I saw you fighting that hands guy. You can go toe to toe with him, you'll go toe to toe with me. And if you throw the damn fight, I'll know," he snarled, stepping closer to tower over me. "So you better not lose until I get to beat you, got it?"

I blinked. That almost sounded like a compliment. "Y-you got it," I agreed, before grinning shakily. "Y-you know, Bakago, y-you make a p-pretty g-good cheer squad."

"SHUT UP!" The blonde growled, stalking off with his hands in his pockets. I watched him go, not relaxing until he'd sat down on the other side of the room, starting a conversation with Kirishima.

I sighed in relief. "W-wow, b-better lose quick. I d-don't want to f-fight _th-that_ ," I muttered, picking up my chair and sitting. Ochako laughed, sitting down again as well. At that moment, Izuku and Tenya arrived. Spotting them at the door, I waved widely. "H-hey guys, over h-here!" I called.

Izuku noticed me, and with a smile, started towards us. Tenya was busy scolding the Terror Trio. Kaminari had straws up his nose, and Ashido appeared to be offering him juice. Tenya was loudly ordering them to prepare for the competition and stop joking around.

"Good m-morning Ichigo, Ochako," Izuku greeted kindly. "You guys ready for this?"

Ochako gave him a wide smile. "Totally," she pointed her thumb at me. "Icchan is a little less than excited though."

"U-understatement of th-the year," I mumbled sullenly, crossing my arms. Ochako seemed far too amused by my predicament. How was she so unbothered by the fact we were going to be on TV in a few minutes?! With a nervous chuckle, Izuku went to take the seat next to me.

"Midoriya," he stopped, and all three of us turned to see Todoroki. He was standing in the middle of the room, entirely focused on Izuku.

Izuku paused, facing Todoroki. He looked at him with concern. "What is it, Todoroki?" He asked curiously.

"Objectively, I think I'm stronger than you," Todoroki said bluntly.

Izuku nodded, clearly starting to grow nervous. "Ah, uh, yeah," he agreed, wide eyed. Behind him, but still in Todoroki's line of sight, I withered. The taller boy's heterochromatic eyes burned with freezing concentration. If Bakugo's eyes were fiery rage, Todoroki was cold determination. I shivered, realizing that this sports festival was going to be a little more complicated than I'd first thought.

"You've managed to catch All Might's attention somehow," Todoroki continued, and I saw Izuku gulp. "I'm not going to pry into that, but…" Todoroki narrowed his eyes. "I'm going to beat you." At his unexpected declaration, the entire room went silent, staring at the spectacle. I played with my sleeve, realizing how similar this was to what Bakugo had said to me.

Kaminari was happy to run commentary, now without straws up his nose. "Oho! What's this? A declaration of war from the strongest kid in the class?!" From the same table, Bakugo glared at Todoroki and Izuku heatedly.

Kirishima walked up behind Todoroki, putting a hand on his shoulder. "What's with all the anger all of a sudden?! Don't spring this on him right before-" he stopped talking when Todoroki easily bat his hand away, turning his back on Izuku, who had lowered his head to the floor.

"I'm not here to make friends," Todoroki said coldly, stalking away. I glanced between him and Izuku worriedly, noting Izuku's now clenched fists. He wasn't going to respond, was he?!

He was. "I have no idea what you want from me," Izuku started, still looking at his hands. "You're definitely stronger than me, and I think the vast majority of people are no match for you." My eyes widened with every word. What was he doing?! Was Izuku trying to make things harder for himself?!

Kirishima stepped forward, holding up his hands. "C'mon Midoriya, don't be so negative…"

"EVEN SO-!" Izuku continued, becoming more passionate with every word. "Everyone, even the kids from the other departments, are going to be aiming for the top with all their might, so I can't just let myself lag behind!" He looked up and met Todoroki's eyes, and I could almost visualize the clash of wills occuring in front of me. "So I'm going to go for it," Izuku declared. "With all of my might too!"

Bakugo narrowed his eyes at Izuku from across the room. Todoroki tilted his head back. "Oh?" He said chillingly, every inch of his posture oozing challenge. I gaped at Izuku, wondering what the hell he was thinking, issuing a statement like that. After a few moments, while everyone seemed to absorb what had just happened, Izuku turned back around and sat. Slowly, conversations started up again.

Ochako grinned, offering Izuku and thumbs up. "Good job, Izukun! That took some real guts! I hope you manage to beat Todoroki," she mimed a punch into the air. "He deserves it, acting like such a jerk!"

I smiled shakily. "Y-yeah, something l-like th-that. Bakago s-said something s-similar t-to me, you know," I hugged myself, trembling at the memory. "I w-wish I h-had th-the guts to s-say wh-what you did. I th-think I-I'll just d-drop out during th-the final r-round th-though."

Izuku looked at me solemnly. "Ichigo, you can't just drop out. It's like what I said before," he clenched his fist, fire burning in his eyes. "If everyone else is going to give it their best shot, you have to as well! Otherwise, how can you ever become a hero?!"

I stared at him with wide eyes. "B-but th-this isn't - I d-don't have t-to-!"

"It's not right, Ichigo," Izuku said firmly. "If you're going to become a hero, you have to be willing to try!"

I glared at him, feeling very hurt. Was he saying I couldn't become a hero? I had heard that from far too many people, but to hear it from one of my friends… it was like getting sucker punched in the stomach. "FINE!" I shouted, standing up and slamming my hands on the table. "I-IF THAT'S WHAT Y-YOU WANT, I'LL T-TRY!" I narrowed my eyes at him. "B-but I'm only g-going to beat you, this competition d-doesn't matter to m-me," I shoved my hands in my pockets, ducking my head to hide my watery eyes behind my bangs. "It's g-good to know where I s-stand, anyways." I mumbled, stalking off into the hall. I'd go hide in the bathroom until it was time to leave, it'd be easier than facing my supposed friend.

* * *

"STUDENTS, IT'S TIME TO ENTER THE ARENA," A voice came over the intercom. I looked up from my spot on the bathroom floor, hugging my knees and leaning against the wall. I'd been crying for a while, and only recently stopped. Climbing to my feet, I peeked in the mirror. My eyes were still slightly red, so I brushed my bangs over to hide them.

Shuffling out into the hall, I spotted Izuku as I headed towards the Class 1-A exit tunnel. He noticed me as well, but before he could say something I rushed to the front of the line, hurrying out into the arena field. I could hear Present Mic shouting to the stadium introducing us.

"THE YUUEI SPORTS FESTIVAL! WHERE THE HERO WORLD'S INCHOATE LITTLE EGGS AIM FOR EACH OTHER'S THROATS - AND THE TOP! OUR GRAND YEARLY MELEE!" Present Mic howled to the entire arena, and the world. I cringed at the description, but steeled my nerves. The audience roared as we entered the green, the first class to be introduced. "AND LET ME GUESS, ALL YOU MISCREANTS CAME TO SEE THEM, RIGHT? THE FRESHLY-FORMED MIRACLE STARS THAT SHRUGGED OFF A MASS VILLAIN ASSAULT WITH WILLS OF STEEL!" I blinked, leaving my stupor. I looked up at the announcer's box, wondering how on Earth we had "shrugged off" the attack. We were experiencing the repercussions still, with the other classes hating us! "THE DEPARTMENT OF HEROICS, FRESHMAN CLASS! YOU'RE HERE FOR CLASS 1-A, RIGHT!?"

I winced at the audacious declaration, knowing that the other classes wouldn't take that over the top introduction well. I glanced over to Bakugo, who was walking a few steps behind me at the front. He was almost glowing with malevolent determination.

"Wow, they're really praising us to the sky…" Kirishima said nervously, scanning the entire arena in awe. "I'm getting nervous now…! You, Bakugo?"

Bakugo's evil smirk widened. "No way I'm nervous, you're just getting stage fright, wuss."

"AND FOLLOWING, WE HAVE CLASS B!" Present Mic continued to announce the classes as they entered the arena, although with much less drama. "HERE COME CLASSES C, D, AND E FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL EDUCATION! AND NOW HERE ARE CLASSES F, G, AND H OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SUPPORT! AND THE NOW THE DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT…" I started to tune out the loud shouting in favor of scanning the arena.

The large green area in the center, which students were filling in, was ovular. At one side, there was a concrete podium, and I could see a woman in a very inappropriate costume standing with a riding crop in her hand. Trying to suppress my blush, I turned my eyes to the audience. The bleachers reached high enough to touch the sky, and I couldn't spot a single empty seat. The thrill in my stomach was accompanied by the sudden rush of blood to my head. This was way more crowded than a first-year demonstration was supposed to be.

"NOW NOW, FAIR PLAY!" The lady on the stage shouted, waving her riding crop. I averted my eyes to the grass below my feet, admiring my worn black sneakers and doing my best to ignore the female hero.

I heard the other students recognize her regardless. "Hey, check it out! That the 18+ only heroine, Midnight! She must be the Chief Referee for the freshmen stage this year!"

"Wait, did you say '18+ only?'" Tokoyami repeated questioningly. "Even though this is a high school? Is that really okay?"

Somehow, Midnight listened in to that comment. "SILENCE!" She screamed, waving her riding crop even more wildly. "MY TENURE HERE IS PERFECTLY ON THE LEVEL! NOW, PLAYER REP, KATSUKI BAKUGO OF CLASS 1-A!" I glanced over to the blonde in shock. How the heck was he the representative of the entire Freshman Year?!

Bakugo approached the stage slowly, hands in his pockets. Casually taking his place in front of the microphone, I swallowed, wondering what incendiary comment he'd make this time.

"Everyone," he started, tilting his head back challengingly. "I'm gonna place first." There was an awkward moment of silence while Bakugo's very short speech set in. Then the other students erupted, along with the audience.

"DON'T PUSH YOUR LUCK, CLASS-A!" One students hollered.

"WHY DO YOU INSIST ON LOWERING OUR GOOD GRACES!?" Another screamed.

There was also a shout of "sludge-fucker!" Bakugo made a slicing motion across his throat in the general direction of that comment. After a few seconds of all the students screaming protests, Bakugo walked back down the stage. I gulped, seeing the oddly serious look on the blonde's face. This wasn't looking good, but if he stood between Izuku and I… I'd have to beat him.

I could only hope I was strong enough.

Midnight continued speaking, ignoring the chaos Bakugo had created. "ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT WE CAN MOVE DIRECTLY ONTO OUR FIRST EVENT! ONTO THE 'PRELIMINARIES', AS THEY'RE CALLED! LOTS OF FINE FOLKS END UP CHOKING ON THEIR TEARS HERE EVERY YEAR!" The Pro Hero turned, pointing her riding crop up at the display, which showed a scrolling line of possible activities. "AND THIS YEAR'S FIRST ROUND OF DESTINY IS…" The screen settled on an activity. It read, "Obstacle Race", and I grinned triumphantly. "... THIS!" Midnight finished.

I celebrated internally. Mister Aizawa had made me run that stupid obstacle course of his every day for two weeks, until I could complete it in under forty seconds. He'd also had me run two miles at the start of every training session. An obstacle race? I smiled smugly as I approached the gates. This thing was made for me.

I took my spot near the front of the crowd, steadfastly ignoring Izuku when he stood next to me. I clenched my fists, feeling a thrill of energy buzz in my gut. I was going to beat this, beat him, and prove I could be a hero. It was the only dream I had ever kept so selfishly close, after all.

"STAAAAAAAART!"


	11. Episode 11: The Will To Win!

**案ずるより産むが易し。**

 ** _Anzuru yori umu ga yasashi_**

 **An attempt is sometimes easier than expected.**

 _ **Quick Recap!:**_ _The Yuuei Sports Festival has begun! Class 1-A is under fire from all directions, with their spots in the heroics program on the line. But before the competition can start, Shouto Todoroki issues a challenge too Izuku Midoriya - he's going to win! Ichigo Kurosaki plans to drop out of the competition, however Izuku manages to convince her otherwise, putting their friendship in danger. Ichigo is determined to beat Izuku, and Todoroki and Bakugo aren't willing to be ignored either. The number one spot in the Sports Festival is highly coveted, and everyone is shooting for the top!_

I dug my toes into the sand, ready to run forwards. I was already towards the front of the crowd, and the upcoming tunnel leading out of the arena was undaunting. I grinned victoriously, prepared to wipe the floor with this "Obstacle Race."

"STAAAAAAAAART!" Midnight yelled, and immediately every student on the field charged forwards. I was already in the lead, and with practiced smoothness I jumped into the air, using the back of the student in front of me as a springboard, landing on the shoulders of another kid in the lead and pushing off into the air, knocking my stand flat on his back. Falling into a roll, I smoothly switched back to my feet, setting a quick pace and continuing forwards. My bangs blew back, and I reached the first turn in moments.

The loud, familiar crackle of ice made me glance over my shoulder. My eyes widened when I saw the entire entryway, and the other students, coated in a thick layer of ice. Todoroki was charging on ahead, ignoring the kids whose feet he'd frozen onto the ground, jaw set and eyes burning cold.

I rounded the corner just before he could spot me, sweating nervously. I didn't have my cooling suit, so I only had around fifteen minutes of using my quirk. If I could avoid activating my it, the situation would be in my favor. Todoroki would freeze the ground under my feet if he caught up to me, forcing me to use my regeneration to escape, so getting spotted would be very bad. There was a simple solution: stay far ahead.

Immediately, my mind pointed out the big issue here. Todoroki was taller than me. He had longer legs. He would run faster.

 _Uh oh_. I sped up my pace even more, hoping that I wouldn't exhaust myself too quickly. I darted ahead, leaving the frustrated shouts of the others students behind me.

"YOU BASTARD! WHAT THE HELL?! I CAN'T EVEN MOVE!"

* * *

"OH WOW! IN A STUNNING DISPLAY OF AGILITY, ICHIGO KUROSAKI TAKES THE LEAD! AND SHE IS - YOU GUESSED IT - A STUDENT OF THE INFAMOUS CLASS 1-A!" Present Mic kept an ongoing commentary as the competition began. He turned to Aizawa, who was sitting in the chair next to him sullenly, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but in the announcer's box. "HEY, ERASERHEAD! ISN'T SHE YOUR APPRENTICE!" Present Mic made wide gestures for Aizawa to say something, clearly trying to push the lazy hero into speaking.

Aizawa rolled his eyes. "Yeah. She's extremely talented," he grunted, hoping to appease the insane blonde hero.

Present Mic moved on. "AND THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS! ERASERHEAD IS A HORRIBLE TEACHER!" Aizawa twitched in irritation.

* * *

Just as I rounded the corner, I saw the first obstacle. The pathway, lined with concrete walls, widened as it led up to a makeshift battle ground. In the new opening, several large, green painted, metal robots awaited. They looked very odd, and very expensive. They would also more than likely be wrecked by the incoming students. I couldn't waste time here.

I stopped in front of the largest robot I could find, even as they gathered around me to attack. Tensing, I waited for the perfect moment. The instant the robot I was angling for slammed its arm into the dirt, I jumped. Latching onto the metal claw, I felt it jerk its arm back, and it sent me flying towards the sky. The wire my hands had latched onto within the complex piece of machinery snapped off, so I was soaring through the air with a piece of metal rope in my hands.

I flipped upside down for a moment while my arms waved, and I saw the gigantic dirt cloud that had formed where I had been standing only moments ago. It cleared just as quickly, and the ice covered robots emerged, rapidly freeing themselves from their constraints. It was too late, because Todoroki had already managed to get past them, running ahead of the other students. And his eyes were locked on me as I fell.

Summoning all of my courage, I oriented myself in the air, so I was falling towards the ground prepared for a massive belly-flop. I noticed the next obstacle. It was a large pit full of rope bridges, and I was set to land straight in the middle. From my spot in the sky, I could see the end, and the upcoming minefield.

I narrowed my eyes. I'd have to activate my quirk if I planned to land safely. I wrapped my new makeshift scarf around my chest in an "X" formation. I needed free hands, because this was going to take perfect timing. I closed my eyes, and ignited the flame in my gut. I fell into a shadow as I entered the pit, and my eyes locked onto the upcoming rope. Extending my hands, I grabbed onto the rope, completing a full spin around the rope bridge, letting go, and landing on a pillar towards the end after a neat forward flip. I felt my shoulders and arms tingle, bursts of steam marking the healing of torn muscles and shattered bones from the force of my impact.

When my feet touched the ground, I jerked my head backwards. Todoroki was still about thirty feet away from the second obstacle, but he was glaring at me solidly, and quickly gaining ground.

"Th-that's not good," I mumbled. I had no time to lose. Running towards the rope in front of me, I pulled off a similar maneuver, using the ropes to twirl my body through the air, my quirk compensating for the force and aggressiveness of my actions. Within a minute's time, I reached the other side of the chasm. Peeking backwards again, I saw Todoroki at the edge of the course, clearly formulating a way to speed past the ropes.

I took off, bolting towards the minefield I knew was coming up. My eyes scanned the ground, searching for the first signs of a planted bomb. After about another hundred feet from from the rope bridges, I spotted the first patch of densely packed dirt. I sidestepped it, only to see another. Stopping abruptly, I scanned the area around me, and realized that this minefield was more "mine" than "field." A less traditional set up, but effective all the same. It placed those in the lead at a disadvantage. If I tried to run all the way through and ignore the mines, I'd create a safe path for those behind me, allowing them to easily catch up.

Crossing my fingers, I trusted in the footwork Mister Aizawa had drilled me with, and set a slightly faster pace than I was comfortable with. I carefully carved my way towards the end of the minefield, eyes locked on the ground.

Then I felt ice form on my shoulder. I glanced over my shoulder and gasped. "Oh!" Todoroki was right behind me, glaring at the back of my head. He was easily getting closer to me. As I had first thought, his longer legs allowed him to move faster.

Another wave of ice spread across my ankles. Todoroki was ignoring the fact he was making a path for those behind him, prioritizing slowing me down. I huffed in irritation, ripping my feet from the ice with bursts of steam. As soon as I took my next step, however, I found my feet wrapped up in ice all over again.

"You won't get away that easily," Todoroki huffed, sliding up next to me. The ice allowed him to speed up as it slowed me down.

My eyes widened. I couldn't let him pass me! I planted my hands on the ground in safe spots, turning my legs in a full circle. Todoroki jumped up to dodge, and I used my wire to grab his ankle, snapping him back towards the ground. He landed sideways, triggering one of the mines. With a loud boom and burst of purple steam, I temporarily incapacitated him. I contorted my body so I landed on my feet and pulled ahead again, slower than before.

* * *

"WHOOO BOY! SHOUTO TODOROKI IS CHALLENGING KUROSAKI FOR FIRST PLACE! BUT SHE MANAGES TO CATCH THE DROP ON HIM! THOSE ARE SOME FAMILIAR MOVES THERE! ERASERHEAD, CARE TO COMMENT?!" Present Mic tried to get Aizawa involved again with commentary about his student.

"I've been training Kurosaki in my fighting style," Aizawa explained apathetically. "She's using the wire as a substitute for my signature weapon."

Present Mic spread his arms, sunglasses flashing. "TALK ABOUT RESOURCEFULNESS! KUROSAKI REALLY IS IMPRESSIVE!"

* * *

I puffed for air, feeling frustrated with my own body. "D-damn," I muttered, unable to force myself to go faster. The effects of my too-fast pace were beginning to set in.

The sound of ice hissing behind me made me tense. A quick glimpse of Todoroki set my teeth on edge. His heterochromatic eyes burned with hatred, and the ice path forming behind him was jagged, obviously affected by his growing temper. Not only had I foiled his attempt to pass me, but I had done so by making him look stupid.

Not good. Not good at all.

Todoroki pulled up to my side again, aiming a punch at my head. I ducked, aiming a kick to his side, which he blocked with his forearm. Ice began to spread across my leg, so I jerked it back, protecting my head by punching towards Todoroki's gut. We continued to exchange blows, with him trying to encumber my footsteps with ice as I tried to pull ahead again.

"HAHHAH! IT DON'T MEAN A THING TO ME!" Todoroki and I stopped fighting look back. Bakugo was flying forwards, explosions rocketing him over the surface of the ground, his eyes burning with fury. "HALF AND HALF BASTARD! ICHIMI! I'M GONNA FUCKIN WIN!" He zoomed past both Todoroki and I, aiming for the end of the minefield.

Ignoring Todoroki, because we both had a common enemy now, I grabbed my wire and threw it, using a move Mister Aizawa was rather fond of. Hooking the metal rope around Bakugo hand, I jerked it, sending his flying off kilter and making him crash into the ground. The subsequent momentum yanked me forwards, allowing me to pull ahead again.

I didn't look back, continuing to press my small lead. I heard Bakugo's scream of rage as he returned to the race, but I charged forwards regardless. This was it! I did deserve to be a hero! I was going to win this thing and prove it!

BOOOOOOM! I couldn't help the reflexive glance over my shoulder at the unbelievably loud explosion. My eyes widened at the size of the purple plume of smoke. "W-what?" I panted, scanning the area for whatever had caused the ridiculously large explosion. A small blot, rapidly growing larger, caught my eye.

Izuku was riding a large piece of metal, and growing much, much closer with every second. With his current trajectory, he'd pass me. Gritting my teeth, I leaned forwards and gave everything I had into getting another burst of speed. I wasn't going to lose to him!

* * *

"WHO'S IN THE LEAD? BAKUGO, KUROSAKI, AND TODOROKI ARE ALL NECK AND NECK! LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE ABOUT TO PASS THROUGH THE FINAL GATE!" Present Mic narrated, watching the various cameras in the announcer's box. Aizawa was observing the ongoing struggle with interest, smirking when he saw Ichigo use her makeshift-scarf to once again foil another kid's attempt to pass her.

A large explosion made both of their eyes flicker to the top screen. Present Mic was quick to react.

"CLASS A'S MIDORIYA MOUNTS HIS CHARGE, AND WOW DOES HE EVER!" The Pro Hero screamed. "HE'S SHOOTING FOR THE LEAD… HE'S GOING… HE OVERTOOK THEM! HE OVERTOOK THEM!"

* * *

My grip on my wire tightened as Todoroki and Bakugo ran past me, using their quirks to gain speed faster than I ever could. The two shot past me, clearly focusing on Izuku. Gritting my teeth, I hopped onto the trail Todoroki was leaving, hoping that I would be able to compensate. Izuku's landing would be rough, and might give me the chance to steal back first place.

As Izuku plummeted, Todoroki and Bakugo were right by him, side by side. My eyes widened at the clear strategical error there, knowing exactly what I would do in that situation, given such a clear opportunity. Izuku reached the same conclusion, feet landing squarely on the two boys backs, and swinging his metal plate around for a second try.

The explosion catapulted Izuku forward again, leaving him flying towards the final gate. I could hear the crowd roar as he won the first competition. I wanted to scream in frustration, but focused on what I could do now. Todoroki was pulling ahead again, but Bakugo was still in my reach.

With a quick toss of my wire, I wrapped the metal rope around Bakugo's neck and planted my feet on the ice, skidding forwards. I swung across the smooth surface of the ice like a pendulum, letting go of my wire just as I reached full swing. Bakugo's explosions were useful, yes, but with a smooth surface and a wire, it was an opportunity to ski ahead.

"ICHIMI!" Bakugo yelled, hatred burning in his eyes. I grinned as I passed him, holding up a peace sign, unable to resist one final stab at his overinflated ego.

Sliding over the ice, my feet moved back and forth unsteadily. Feeling very out of control, I waited until I was right behind Todoroki to push off the icy path, heels digging into the dirt as I ran beside him. There was a second where I thought I could make it - and then my footsteps faltered. I tripped, landing in a roll and popping back up to my feet, but Todoroki was already long gone. I wouldn't have another chance.

I finished in third place, mere seconds after Todoroki. Bakugo came in fourth moments later. Glaring at Izuku's back heatedly, I clenched and unclenched my fists. I could hear more people enter the arena behind me, but I was far to furious to care. Present Mic's screaming about Izuku incredible rise to first place only further grated on my nerves.

In a show of anger I would normally have suppressed, I turned my back on the center, tromping off towards the side lines and sitting down in the grass, legs spread out in front of me. I exhaled heavily, looking up through the opening in the arena roof towards the calm, clear sky. I noticed the curls of steam rising up around me, and bit my lip. Scanning the people around me, I checked that no one was looking, deactivated my quirk.

My shoulders and arms felt like they were shattering and burning all at once. My ankles stung. I bit my lip, trying to keep from screaming. Tears welled in my eyes, I shut them to block out the light… and then it was over.

I sighed in relief, falling back onto the grass in relief. I had forgotten that tidbit - the longer I used my quirk, the longer the crash lasted. I had only used my quirk for about five minutes, so the crash only lasted fifty seconds.

A shadow fell over my vision. "Hey, Ichigo."

I gulped, opening my eyes to see Ochako standing over me, expression solemn. I frowned, not wanting to talk to her right now. "W-what is it?" I demanded grumpily, turning my head so I wouldn't have to look at her.

"I - Your fight with Izuku - I don't think -" She started, trying to say something coherent and failing.

I held up my hand. "It d-doesn't matter. If h-he th-thinks I c-can't become a h-hero - that I'm n-not taking th-this s-seriously, I'll have to p-prove him wrong," I glanced to Ochako, who looked lost. She wanted to end the argument, but Izuku had made his expectations clear. I hated when people demanded things from me, I had spent too much of my life catering to the whims of others.

"But, Ichigo-!" Ochako tried to speak again.

"No," I interrupted, pushing myself up to my feet. "If h-he w-wants to r-reconcile or w-whatever, m-maybe I'll c-consider it l-later. R-right now," I scanned the field, which was rapidly filling up with students again. "I h-have to p-prove th-this. It isn't j-just f-for me anymore."


	12. Episode 12: The Best Plan Ever!

**そんしてとくとる**

 ** _Son shite toku toru_**

 **One step back, two steps forward**

 ** _Quick Recap!:_** _The Yuuei Sports Festival has begun! Class 1-A is under fire from all directions, with their spots in the heroics program on the line. But before the competition can start, Shouto Todoroki issues a challenge too Izuku Midoriya - he's going to win! Ichigo Kurosaki plans to drop out of the competition, however Izuku manages to convince her otherwise, putting their friendship in danger. Ichigo is determined to beat Izuku, and Todoroki and Bakugo aren't willing to be ignored either. In the first trial, Ichigo appears to be wiping away the competition, using her new training from Eraserhead himself. However, with a lucky punch towards the end, Izuku Midoriya manages to make first place! Now, it's time for the second trial, and Ichigo is determined to do better than before..._

Midnight had once again taken her place on the stage, a large projection opening up behind her. From my place near the back of the crowd, I peered at the screen. It read everyone's names in order, from first to forty-second. My name was highlighted in third place. I scowled again at the reminder of my loss.

"The top forty-two have earned the right to advance!" Midnight announced loudly. "I'm sorry for the kids who failed, but take heart! This festival's showstopper is still being prepared!" She turned, pointing towards the projector, which was now displaying a familiar spinning list of activities. "Now then, onto today's heart-pounding second event! I already know what it will be, but the suspense is killing me…" I wrinkled my nose, confused as to how she could feel suspense if she already knew what was going to happen. "WHAT COULD IT BE!? Well, I'll tell you!" The screen settled on an activity. A "Human Cavalry Battle".

I shuddered. "Th-that's n-not good," I murmured, remembering my past experiences with the common playground game.

I could hear the other students start to mutter around me. "Human cavalry…!" Kaminari repeated in fear.

"That's not a game that works with individual players," Tsuyu Asui observed. "How will it work?"

Midnight answered her question, continuing to explain the second trial. "You can all form teams of two to four people, and create a horseback configuration! Basically it's the same rules as normal Human Cavalry Battle: swipe enemy riders' headbands and guard your own. With one exception…" Midnight paused, allowing tension to build. I felt my shoulders tighten reflexively, wondering what the difference would be. "Everyone will receive points based on their performance in the last trial!"

"That means that the point value of each human warhorse will be changed based on who's on it!" Someone called out from the front.

Midnight waved her riding crop at them, which struck me as very ironic, considering this activity. "DON'T SAY WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY BEFORE I CAN!" She lambasted the speaker furiously. "But yes, that's right! And the number of points you're worth will be 5 points if you placed 42nd, 10 if you placed 41st, and so on…" Midnighted smirked, suddenly pointing into the crowd. I followed her finger to see Izuku. "With the exception of 1st place, which is worth TEN MILLION POINTS!"

I bared my teeth in a mocking smile. Maybe it wasn't so bad that I hadn't gotten first place then. Izuku had just become the perfect bait and distraction. "Heh. Th-this'll b-be funny," I chuckled, feeling much less tired. "T-talk about an easy w-way t-to win!"

"If I were you, I'd aim for the guy who placed first!" Midnight suggested heavily. "This is the chance for the low to supplant the high! Welcome to our survival game!"

I covered my mouth to hide my giggles. She was purposely deluding them! Why aim for Izuku, when you could get all the people chasing him easier?

"Continuing on, the time limit is fifteen minutes," Midnight said, and my grin widened. This kept getting better and better. How perfect for my quirk's limits! "The point value of each group's headband is worth the accumulated total all the group's members. The one to wear the headband will be the horses rider! Until time is up, you'll all be fighting and stealing as many of each other's headbands as you can!" Midnight help up a headband for demonstration. "You may not wear the headband anywhere other than your neck! As more and more headbands are taken, maintaining control of the situation will become more and more demanding!"

I nodded slowly. "Th-the more h-headbands you get, th-the larger th-the t-target you become…" I was feeling more and more happy as this continued on. I hadn't done as well as I'd hoped in the last game, but this was another chance. In a game which became more difficult as it continued on, my quirk became invaluable, because it meant a complete restart for whatever team I was on. "G-great!"

Midnight still wasn't finished. "And the most important aspect of our human cavalry game, is that even when you lose your headband or crumble as a horse configuration, YOU'RE STILL NOT OUT OF THE GAME!" I frowned at that. This would make things much harder. Any group created would need an excellent defense and offense, because the game would slowly switch from being an attacker's playing field to a defender's. "Quirks are allowed, of course, so I want to see some fine brutality out there! That being said, this is still a game! Attack with the malicious intent of breaking another team up, and you'll be forced to sit out! You have fifteen minutes to decide your teams!"

I swallowed. I had fifteen minutes. I couldn't work with Izuku or any of my normal friends. And… I scanned the area around me. Most of my classmates - those who I might have considered working with anyways - had already worked out their own groups. Friends paired with friends, easily forming groups, and I got stuck with fewer options.

Then I recognized a familiar face, and I realized not all hope was lost.

I walked over to the boy with silver hair quietly, seeing that he didn't have a team yet either. "U-um, hello?" I started quietly.

"What?!" The boy growled, spinning around. His eyes narrowed on me. "Oh, you're from Class A. I don't-"

I cut him off. "Please d-don't judge m-me b-based off th-the actions of m-my c-classmates!" I bowed lowly, shutting my eyes and hoping he'd listen. "I d-do not know w-what t-trouble they've c-caused y-you, b-but I understand you w-want to f-fight B-Bakugo?"

The boy looked taken aback for a moment, eyeing me suspiciously. "Yeah, why?"

"H-he kind of w-wants m-me dead," I said sheepishly, straightening up and fidgeting with the sleeve of my jumpsuit. "S-so it's l-likely I'll b-be fighting him d-during th-this game and th-the next."

The boy seemed to contemplate this for a moment, before nodding. "Alright then," he held out his hand. "I'm Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu. Call me a cutesy nickname and we'll have a problem," he was brash and abrasive, but I could appreciate the sentiment.

I reached up and shook his hand. "M-my name is Ichigo Kurosaki, Tetsutetsu. I-I was in th-third p-place. I have a regenerative q-quirk, you?"

"I can turn my skin into iron," Tetsutetsu answered, demonstrating by turning the skin on his arm into shiny metal. "I can still move my body as well. And I was in eleventh."

I grinned. "That's perfect! D-do you kn-know of anyone in y-your c-class with l-long range d-defensive a-abilities?"

"Yeah," Tetsutetsu grunted. He glanced over his shoulder. "Oi, Shiozaki!" He shouted, waving his arm.

In a few moments, a girl with long hair made of vines separated from the mob of chattering students. She was tall, and had a solemn look on her face. I observed her walking towards us cautiously, trying to assess her personality.

She stopped in front of Tetsutetsu. "Do you need help?"

"Nah," Tetsutetsu said casually, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at me. "I'm teaming up with Kurosaki here, wanted to know if you were coming." I crossed my fingers behind my back, hoping this girl would say yes. I calculated that we'd already lost five minutes.

Shiozaki peered at me curiously. "You want to team up with a member of Class A?" She sounded slightly incredulous. I wasn't sure if Class A was that detestable to her, or if Tetsutetsu was _that_ vocal about his dislike of my classmates.

I decided to repeat my apology anyways. I bowed, clutching the front of my pants anxiously. "I'm s-sorry f-for any upset m-my c-classmates have c-caused y-you! P-please d-don't reconsider joining th-the t-team because of m-me!" I stood up again, eyes hopeful.

"Oh," Shiozaki was staring at me with wide eyes. She blinked several times, before smiling gently. "I don't have any particular dislike of your class, Kurosaki. I was just surprised by Tetsutetsu's decision," she nodded firmly. "However, I'm certainly impressed by your humility. I would happily join this team. My quirk allows me to control these vines," she gestured to her hair. "And I was in fifth place."

I smiled cheerfully. "I c-can r-regenerate r-really quickly, and I can sh-share th-that ability. Your quirk is r-really cool!" This was going way better than I thought it would! Plus, Shiozaki was really nice, and Tetsutetsu wasn't near as mean as Bakugo. He was just a more aggressive version of Kirishima, not that I would ever tell Tetsutetsu that. He wouldn't take it well, I'd imagine. "So, f-for our b-battle plan…" I noticed something odd across the field.

The student who had challenged Bakugo, from General Ed, was talking to Ojiro. Ojiro appeared upset, starting to yell at the purple haired boy, before his jaw went slack and his eyes blanked. He froze up. The purple haired boy said something else, and Ojiro followed him back to a group of students in a similar state.

I pointed at the purple haired General Ed student triumphantly. "W-we n-need to t-talk to him!" I marched across the field determinedly, Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu trailing behind me in confusion. I weaved through the chaotic mass of students, eyes set on my target. As soon as I was close enough to be audible, I shouted, "H-hey, you!" The General Ed student turned around, looking surprised. "Y-yes, you! I w-wanted t-to talk to y-you!" I ran forward, skidding to a clumsy stop. "Is y-your quirk r-related t-to hypnosis?"

The boy stares at me silently for a moment. "Why?"

"I w-want you t-to join m-my t-team!" I requested, ignoring the purple haired boy's expression of shock. "A-and w-we already have th-three p-people, s-so I promise this isn't j-just b-because we need m-more members. I-I'm trying to f-form a defensive t-team, and if y-you can brainwash people," I gulped, hoping I wasn't making a mistake. "You'd m-make a great offense."

The General Ed student was stunned silent for a moment, before nodding consideringly. "Who's your team?"

"Sh-Shiozaki! Tetsutetsu!" I called, waving wildly. "P-please come here!" The pair of Class B students were over in moments. "Th-this is…" I looked to the purple haired boy expectantly.

"Hitoshi Shinsou," he filed in, still stunned by my request.

I nodded, grinning at him appreciatively. "R-right! This is Shinsou, h-his quirk is b-brainwashing. I'd l-like for him to join th-the team," I glanced at them inquiringly. "If th-that's alright with y-you guys?"

Shiozaki nodded immediately. "I have no problems," she looked to Tetsutetsu.

Tetsutetsu shook his head. "You're certainly something, Kurosaki. That's cool with me," he scanned the crowd of students around us, and snorted. "Y'know, we're the most varied group here. We've got a Class A student, Class B students, and a kid from General Ed," he gestured to the surrounding people. "Everyone else is sticking with their classmates."

I giggled, hiding my mouth behind my hands. "Th-thanks, Tetsutetsu," I said, turning to Shinsou. "If you w-would pl-please release my c-classmates? You w-won't need th-them a-anymore."

Shinsou shrugged, and in an instant whatever hold he had over the brainwashed students ended. The three students shook their heads, trying to clear their minds. Shinsou looked at me curiously. "You really aren't like the other heroics kids," he said appreciatively, like that was a compliment.

"I d-don't know about th-that," I responded, wrinkling my nose. "M-most of us aren't l-like Bakago, he's just a s-special case."

Tetsutetsu smirked. " _Baka_ -go?"

I grinned, eyes shining with mirth. "Y-yes. B-because a knife all blade is just as u-useful as a s-stick." Tetsutetsu deciphered that comment, then busted out laughing. My grin brightened several watts, before I returned to being serious. "I-If you d-don't mind explaining y-your quirks a l-little m-more in depth, I c-can explain my g-general plan…"

* * *

The fifteen minutes having finally passed, I perched on the back of Tetsutetsu off to the side of the large rectangle drawn on the arena grass. At my left and right were Shinsou and Shiozaki, who were looking very determined themselves. Scanning the other teams, I realized we were one of the only groups to combine more than one class. Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted Izuku on top of Tokoyami's back, with Uraraka and a pink haired girl behind him. I sent a peace sign towards Uraraka, hoping she got the message behind it: _no hard feelings_.

Izuku and his points weren't my target for this game anyhow. "Y-you guys remember the plan?"

"Yes, Kurosaki," Shiozaki answered seriously. Tetsutetsu nodded in agreement.

Shinsou looked up at me lazily. "It's a little hard to forget," he said.

"ALL RIGHT, HAVE YOU ALL FORMED YOUR LITTLE TEAMS!? YOU BETTER HAVE!" Present Mic howled over the intercom. I tapped the headband around my forehead anxiously. We had 605 points. "LET'S DO IT! LET'S START THE COUNTDOWN TO THIS VICIOUS CLASH! 3…! 2…!" I saw Bakugo and Todoroki across the arena, eyes focused on Izuku. "1…! START!"

We charged forwards, immediately stopping in front of Izuku, which clearly confused his team. "Sh-Shiozaki!" I shouted.

"On it," Shiozaki responded steadily, vines digging into the earth. The teams that had been trying to get Izuku from the start were easily repelled. A few tried to slice at the vines, but with my shared regeneration, the plants simply grew back, stronger and tougher than before. I could hear screams of frustration from the other side of the vines.

Shinsou tilted his head back, smirking cockily. "Looks like the ten thousand points are ours!" He hollered provocatively.

"YOU BASTARDS-!" The words were choked off midway, as Shinsou's quirk set in. Three headbands were thrown through the hole in Shiozaki's vines, and I snatched them up, slinging them around my neck.

I peeked down at Tetsutetsu. "Th-the heat isn't g-getting to you?" I asked concernedly.

"Not a bit!" Tetsutetsu answered confidently, skin fully metallic. "You're light as a feather as well!" I grinned. Tetsutetsu was the perfect horse for someone like me, who's temperature would slowly rise over the course of the game.

I looked over my shoulder at Izuku and his team, who were staring at us in astonishment. I repeated my gesture of a peace sign. "Th-thanks for b-being g-good bait!" I yelled cheerfully.

Izuku's eyes widened, easily reading my plan. He narrowed his eyes at me. "A temporary collaboration?" He challenged.

I scanned the team and their equipment. "Heh, you c-can't hang out h-here for long! Y-you're built for m-mobility, w-we're stationary. Bakugo and T-Todoroki w-will show up s-soon. B-but if you g-get t-too many tagalongs, feel f-free to come b-back!"

Izuku nodded, eyes bright. "Thank you, Ichigo!" he shouted, as the strange boots Ochako and the pink haired girl were wearing fired up. They rose off the ground quickly, taking off into the sky.

My smile softened at those words. I wasn't willing to forget what Izuku had done, but maybe I could forgive him. Eventually. I looked down at Shiozaki, who was creating a living barrier to surround our team from all sides. "Are y-you having any t-trouble with growing y-your vines?" I questioned.

"None," Shiozaki said solemnly. "Your quirk is most effective when paired with mine, Kurosaki. Your plan works excellently," as she spoke, she batted away another team. Shinsou, recognizing their frustration, yelled out another antagonistic comment, and soon enough I was looping another headband around my neck.

Tetsutetsu smirked. "It's like taking candy from a baby!" He laughed triumphantly, clearly high on adrenaline. All of us were, because even Shiozaki and Shinsou had started smiling.

I giggled. "P-pretty much," I agreed, glancing down at Shinsou. "H-having fun yet?" I egged.

"Sure," Shinsou agreed, sounding very amused. I smiled, happy that the boy who had seemed far too bitter and lonely was taking enjoyment from this task. It was a game, after all.

I looked up to the scoreboard. Izuku was still firmly i first place, but right under him was Team Kurosaki, with 1,685 points. Team Bakugo was a line over, with no points. I pointed up at the scoreboard ecstatically. "L-look at Bakago's T-team!" I gasped, barely able to get the words out between cackles. Tetsutetsu was in a similar state, dying from laughter. "H-how did th-that h-happen?" I wondered aloud, trying to regain the ability to breathe.

Shiozaki pointed with her unoccupied hand at the team below ours on the scoreboard. "It appears Monoma is doing well," she observed.

"G-give him a m-medal f-for me," I begged, clutching my sides. My chest hurt, and my eyes were watering. "H-he deserves one." The conversation ended there, as more teams threw themselves against Shiozaki's walls futilely.

Unfortunately, the points were quickly stolen back, and Bakugo's team was allocated to third place. I frowned at that, saddened by Bakugo's return to glory, but then I heard Present Mic's commentary start up again. Team Todoroki had cornered Team Midoriya! I didn't really want to help Izuku, however I remembered during the last trial, that final trip when I might've made it…

"G-guys, we have p-plenty of b-bands n-now," I said. "W-why don't we go f-for first?"

Tetsutetsu grinned viciously. "I'm all in."

"That sounds agreeable," Shiozaki added.

"If we're gonna go for it," Shinsou chipped in. "Then let's get out of here."

I smiled. "Okay th-then, let's go!" Shiozaki, j-just throw us t-towards th-that ice over there!" I ordered, pointing towards the ice. The walls around us collapsed, sinking into the ground, and then a humongous mass of vines surged upwards from below our feet. And then we were flying, tossed upwards. Shiozaki quickly shrunk her vines, lessening our weight. I waited for the perfect moment, seeing Todoroki's team rapidly growing closer to Izuku's… "Tetsutetsu, now!" I barked. Tetsutetsu, having originally deactivated his quirk to decrease our weight, returned to his metallic state.

We plummeted like rocks, and my eyes watered from the air rushing by. I was sure I had left my stomach somewhere up above, but the feeling of falling was thrilling. I barely had time to spread my regeneration to Shinsou before we slammed into the ground, right in front of Izuku's team.

The cloud of dust resulting from that crash blocked my view of Todoroki's team, but with thirty seconds on the clock, that didn't matter.

"One m-more time!" I called, and Shiozaki's vines instantly resurged, building a wall between Todoroki's team and mine. Standing on Tetsutetsu's shoulders, I met Izuku's eyes. "N-no hard feelings, right?" I repeated, before jumping forwards. I kicked out my legs, preparing to land, and was immediately batted away by Tokoyami's shadow quirk. I rebounded off of Tetsutetsu's back, flipping and readying myself to push off again.

"TEN... ! NINE…!" I heard Present Mic countdown over the intercom.

I was easily slammed away by dark shadow, and the wind was knocked out of me. My hands barely managed to grasp Shinsou's shoulders, using the tall boy to orient my turn towards Tetsutetsu. Tokoyami had me fully blocked, but I wasn't the main attacker. Izuku was an excellent planner in battle, but he was single minded.

This time, I landed on Tetsutetu's shoulders in a sitting position, snatching the ten million headband from Shiozaki's waiting hand. "S-sorry, Izuku!" I apologized, looking over my shoulder. "B-but I am t-taking this - woah!" I leaned back, arms snapping up to block my head as the shadow lunged forwards, snapping towards my neck. It snatched several of the headbands, before retreating.

"THREE…! TWO…! ONE…!" Present Mic roared.

Bakugo came flying over the wall of vines, all alone, hands reaching for my head. I gasped, scrambling for a way to counter his attack on my own, knowing Shiozaki was occupied with detaining Todoroki's team-

"TIME'S UP!" Present Mic finished anticlimactically. Bakugo plummeted out of the air, hissing and spitting with fury. Shiozaki dropped her wall, and I looked over to see the other teams looking towards us angrily. However nothing beat Izuku's wide eyes, and reading the numbers on the bands he'd stolen last second, I knew that I'd won. "NOW SHALL WE SEE WHO THE TOP FOUR ARE!?" Present Mic cheered.

I gave Izuku a peace sign. "Sorry! I s-switched th-them when I p-put them on," I told him, grinning cheekily. I had expected Tokoyami to try and use his quirks mobility to snatch the headband back, so I hid the ten-thousand points at the bottom of the pile of headbands.

"In first place, it's TEAM KUROSAKI!" I grinned, exhilarated. We had won! I stood up on Tetsutetsu shoulders, placed my hands on his head, and raised myself into the air on one arm.

I grinned at Shinsou and Shiozaki from my upside down position. "W-we won!" I celebrated, the glory of victory pumping through my veins. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. Shinsou was chuckling, swept away in the tide of winning as well, and I could hear Shiozaki giggle.

"In second place, TEAM BAKUGO! In third place, TEAM TODOROKI! And in fourth place, TEAM MIDORIYA!" Present Mic listed off, and the entire stadium bursted into cheers and clapping.

I flipped down, smile big enough to split my face. "We w-won!" I repeated, deliriously happy.

Tetsutetsu grinned back, extending his fist. "Consider yourself a badass, Kurosaki!" He congratulated. I reached out and bumped my fist against his.

"I'm s-so happy right n-now!" I chirped, practically vibrating with happiness. In that moment, I didn't care that Bakugo was angry, or that Todoroki was glaring at me hatefully. I had won. Despite the fact that even I hadn't thought I would. "YES!" I cheered, executing a series of flips, cartwheels, and other acrobatic maneuvers to emphasize the gloriously happy moment.

I had won!

* * *

When Ichigo says, "Because a knife all blade is as useful as a stick," she's making fun of Bakugo's personality. The original quote is "A mind all logic is like a knife all blade. It makes the hand bleed that uses it." Ichigo is inferring that Bakugo's inflammatory behavior is both damaging to himself and those around him. She's calling him a loose cannon, or worse than useless.


	13. Episode 13: To Fix A Friendship!

**てんはみずからたすくるものをたすく**

 ** _ten wa mizukara tasukuru mono o tasuku_**

 **Heaven helps those who help themselves.**

 ** _Quick Recap!:_** _The Yuuei Sports Festival has begun! Class 1-A is under fire from all directions, with their spots in the heroics program on the line. But before the competition can start, Shouto Todoroki issues a challenge too Izuku Midoriya - he's going to win! Ichigo Kurosaki plans to drop out of the competition, however Izuku manages to convince her otherwise, putting their friendship in danger. Ichigo is determined to beat Izuku, and Todoroki and Bakugo aren't willing to be ignored either. In the first trial, Ichigo appears to be wiping away the competition, using her new training from Eraserhead himself. However, with a lucky punch towards the end, Izuku Midoriya manages to make first place! Frustrated with herself, Ichigo teams up with Ibara Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu from Class B, along with Hitoshi Shinsou from the General Ed Department. Together, they manage to win the second trial! Elated, Ichigo prepares for the third trial, a series of one on one matches. But before she can move on, she needs to talk to Izuku, and try to repair their friendship before it's too late..._

"You were so awesome, Icchan!" Ochako cheered, pumping her fist. "You just came out of nowhere, like bam! And then you took the points!" She pointed at me accusingly. "And I haven't forgot about that, by the way! You totally stole first place out from under us!"

I blinked in surprise at Ochako's animated speech. We were standing outside the arena, getting ready to head to lunch. Tetsutetsu, Shiozaki, and Shinsou had gone their own ways after we were released, and I met up again with Tenya and Ochako on the walk to the cafeteria.

I grinned in good humor. "It's only f-fitting, Izuku did r-rip th-the rug out from under m-my feet d-during th-the first trial," I quipped.

Tenya nodded slowly. "I suppose that's true. Speaking of Izuku, where is he?" He looked around us for a head of curly green hair.

I sighed in relief when he didn't spot anyone. Talking to Izuku would be really uncomfortable right now, and I wanted to spend some time with Tenya and Ochako before the third round started.

"M-maybe he'll sh-show up later?" I suggested, continuing towards the cafeteria.

Ochako was quick to follow. "Probably! He was super cool during the games as well, I need to thank him for helping me reach the third trial!" Ochako held up her fist. "I'm gonna aim for the top!"

I laughed, startled by her emphatic declaration. "I th-think everyone is aiming f-for the t-top, Ocha-chan."

"Indeed," Tenya agreed, before making his own dramatic stance, glasses flashing. "But that does not mean we cannot announce our intentions! I will aim for the top as well!"

"Th-then I guess," I giggled, covering my mouth with my hands. "I sh-should s-say that 'I'm gonna b-be number one?'" I quoted Bakugo shamelessly, lowering my voice to make fun of the blonde.

Ochako busted out laughing. "Yeah! That's it!"

* * *

I clapped my hands together, hungrily eyeing my food. "Itadakimasu!" I chirped, immediately digging in. I scarfed down my rice and katsudon ravenously, today's battles having seriously increased my appetite. I had gotten even more food than usual, and was plowing through it all.

Ochako laughed at my messy eating. "Jeez, Icchan! You look like a wild woman!" She teased.

I paused mid slurp, udon noodle hanging from my mouth. "Huh?" I asked, voice muffled by my food.

"Your hair looks crazy right now, and you're eating like a maniac!" Ochako pointed out, hugging her sides as she cackled.

Tenya nodded seriously. "I can see the resemblance," he added, hand raised to his chin thoughtfully.

I sighed, swallowing my food. Standing up, I unzipped the jumpsuit halfway, revealing my white undershirt. I removed my braids from the jumpsuit, and zipped it back up. "I g-guess I'll have t-to fix it," I mumbled reluctantly, reaching down and undoing the ties on each braid. My hair cascaded down to the backs of my shins.

Ochako gasped. "Icchan, your hair is so pretty!"

I hummed in appreciation, sitting down again. "I-I'll b-braid it up again l-later," I decided aloud, returning to eating my food. "My friend-slash-employer is up in th-the stands, I'll b-borrow a hairbrush f-from h-her during intermission."

Ochako scooted her chair over to me. She started to play with my hair. "It don't get why you ever put it up," she cooed, stroking the long strands. "It looks so much better down. You look amazing!"

"That would be difficult, Ochako," Tenya inserted matter of factly. "Long hair would be a burden in a fight."

I nodded. "Th-that's right. I don't want t-to c-cut it, so I have to k-keep it out of the way. R-right, Izu-" I cut myself off, eyes widening. I had instinctively tried to pull Izuku into the conversation, forgetting he still wasn't here. I set my jaw, and stood up abruptly. I gathered what was left of my steak and third bowl of rice, dumped them together, and grabbed a cloth napkin, wrapping the bowl up.

Tenya stared at me oddly. "Ichigo, what are you doing?"

"I'm going t-to find Izukun," I decided, turning towards the cafeteria doors. "H-he needs t-to eat, and w-we n-need to talk." I walked towards the door determinedly, ready to face whatever may come. I needed to get things straight with Izuku, before the third trial. Not only as a fellow competitor, but as a friend. Because I valued our friendship, and I didn't want to lose it.

I could put what little pride I had on the line, for that.

* * *

I approached the arena again, covered bowl in my hands, a few minutes later. The cafeteria was just across the street from the stadium, which made things much easier. I scanned the back area quickly, searching for Izuku. I spotted a head of green curls peeking out from one of the hallways leading to the tunnels under the arena. Speeding up my steps, I approached the open hall.

"- _Fuck him...!_ I'll _never_ be that piece of shit's tool!" I halted, hearing Todoroki's angry growl. I tensed, wondering what would have motivated Todoroki to corner Izuku after the game was over. Was Izuku in trouble? "In my memories, my mother is always crying. She told me that my left side is ugly, and she dumped boiling water on me," I inhaled sharply, suddenly recognizing that this wasn't something I should be listening to. I backed up quickly, jumping over the rails protecting the students' path to the cafeteria and hiding near the closest food stand.

Leaning against one of the many picnic tables, I sighed, closing my eyes. I mulled over what I had just heard. Todoroki had mentioned a "him", who he clearly disliked, and then followed it by mentioning his mother, so the two were probably connected. His "left side is unsightly"… I considered the pictures I had seen of Enji Todoroki, the Pro Hero Endeavor, and compared them to Todoroki. I gulped. His mother was always crying because of something connected to Todoroki's father, who wanted to use Todoroki as a tool.

Was he describing an abuse scenario? It wasn't a secret that Endeavor wanted All Might's spot as number one. Todoroki had the ability to melt his own ice, so it wasn't unlikely that he could create flames as well. Was he trying to avoid being like his father? That only further supported an abuse scenario, but then why aim for the top spot? Wouldn't that cater to his father's wishes?

"Excuse me, miss!" I glanced down, and spotted a little boy. He had wide eyes, was missing his front teeth, and wore an All Might T-shirt. He pointed at me with sticky fingers, grinning happily. "You look like the girl who won the tournament! Are you her?"

I smiled, kneeling down. "I am," I whispered, raising my finger to my lips in a gesture to stay quiet. "I wanted to see the festival for myself, so I snuck out. You can't tell anyone, okay?"

The little boy nodded urgently, peeking around. "I won't tell anyone!" He agreed frantically. "But I wanted to tell you - you looked really cool, you know!"

I smiled gently. "Thank you. How about you get back to your parents before they get worried though?"

"Okay! It was nice to meet you! I hope you win the next round too!" The little boy cheered, waving at my while he ran away.

I gave him a small wave back, unable to help the soft smile stuck to my lips. Little kids were always so honest and innocent, I loved spending time with them. "Wait," I realized, stunned. "Did I just talk to that kid without stuttering?!" A beatific expression spread across my face. I had spoken without stuttering!

"Ichigo?" My head whipped around, and I saw Izuku, who was looking at me curiously, seeming surprised I was here.

I blushed. "Uh, h-hey, Izuku," I muttered. Damnit, I was back to stuttering again! I held out the bowl. "Th-there wasn't going to be enough t-time f-for you to eat, s-so I brought some food," I stammered.

"Oh," Izuku stared at the bowl in astonishment, taking it from my hands. He glanced up at me, and smiled brightly. "Thank you!"

I nodded slowly, turning away from him. After an awkward moment of silence, where Izuku ate and I tried to look anywhere but him, I coughed. "I w-wanted to apologize," I started awkwardly. "W-we had a b-bit of a m-misunderstanding b-before the festival, and I d-didn't give you th-the ch-chance to explain."

Izuku stopped eating, looking at me in shock, before nodding. He swallowed quickly. "Uh, yeah. About that," he inhaled deeply. " _I'msorryIdidn'tmeantosayyoucouldn'tbeaheroIjustwantedyoutotakethecompetitionseriously_ \- _Ididn'tmeantohurtyourfeelings-_ "

I couldn't help the giggle that burst free from my lips. Izuku glanced at me with wide eyes at my outburst, and from there the giggling got worse. "W-we're b-both crazy!" I gasped, continuing to laugh. Izuku grinned in agreement, obviously understanding he had been forgiven for the misunderstanding. After a few seconds of laughing, I reined in my amusement. "S-sorry," I said, wiping my eyes. "I-It's just - I'm p-pretty sensitive about b-becoming a h-hero, a lot of p-people t-told me I couldn't, s-so w-when you said th-that I just-"

"Snapped?" Izuku guessed. I nodded, and his grin dimmed into a more wistful expression. "I've been told that too." He looked up the ridiculously high wall of the arena. "But now I'm here, and it's like I'm in a dream."

I smiled, looking up to the same place he was, the gigantic Yuuei Academy flag flapping in the wind at the top of the arena. "A d-dream, huh?" I mumbled. I felt tension build in my chest, and I couldn't help the words I said next. "I-I heard w-what Todoroki said to you," I bursted out, and Izuku's eyes snapped back down to me, stunned. I hurried to finish speaking. "I d-didn't hear all of it, b-but it s-sounded like he was b-being abused, and…" I rushed out my next words. "He didn't make sense!"

"W-what?" Izuku asked, bewildered.

I fumbled over my words. "It's j-just - emotions aren't l-logical, I know - b-but he doesn't w-want to use his quirk b-because of his dad, y-yet he's still aiming for th-the top? Th-that's not a coherent t-train of thought!" I bit my lip, clenching my fists in frustration. "It'd m-make sense if h-he didn't w-want t-to be a hero at all, but he isn't t-trying to d-disassociate himself f-from h-his father, he's trying…" I broke off, growling in frustration.

Izuku waited patiently. "Ichigo, what are you trying to say?"

"I-It sounds l-like he's lost h-his own dream in his f-father's," I said finally."I-I've been th-there, and w-when people try to c-control your l-life, it's easy t-to get your d-dreams mixed up w-with th-their wishes."

Izuku turned his eyes back up to the Yuuei flag. "... Does he need help?" Izuku questioned eventually.

I nodded slowly. "In th-that situation, it t-takes a m-miracle or a-another p-person to break you f-free," I looked to Izuku determinedly. "I-I m-may not like Todoroki, b-because he's m-mean, b-but being b-bitter can do that, s-so… if y-you can help him, p-please do!" I blinked the tears from my eyes. "I c-certainly wish someone had h-helped me," I whispered, turning away. I walked away quickly, entering the same hall Izuku had just left, to go hide in the back rooms.

This was too much emotional drama for one day. I found myself stuck between wanting Izuku to have heard my final words, and hoping he hadn't. But I had been stuck here before, in between my own wants and someone else's my needs. I could hold out for a little longer. Maybe Izuku could help Todoroki, maybe he couldn't. I had tried, at least.

Sitting down in the locker room bench, I grabbed my hairbrush from my duffel bag, happy that I'd remembered to grab it. I couldn't talk to Missus Yukihime right now. Beginning to brush my hair, I closed my eyes and started to hum songs I could remember from the radio in the flower shop. I tried to lose myself in the rhythms, and forget about Todoroki, Izuku, and the entire situation. I had tried to help. And that had to be enough. It had to be.

I wouldn't lose myself in someone else again.

* * *

 _"_ _Anmatsu! Anmatsu, where are you?" Grandmother called from the kitchen._

 _I looked away from the TV, brushing the hair that barely brushed my ears out of my eyes. "Over h-here, mama! In th-the living room!" I called, eyes bright and excited. "Th-the Yuuei Sports Festival is s-starting!" I cheered, wrapping myself up further in my old blue blanket on the couch._

 _Grandmother came out of the kitchen, holding a bowl of popcorn in her hands. "I remember! Didn't you say you wanted to be a hero, Anmatsu?" She sat down next to me, pinching one of my cheeks affectionately. "How could I forget the sports festival? I even made your favorite treat - popcorn!"_

 _I took the bowl from my grandmother. "Th-thank you, mama," I said, forcing myself to sound enthusiastic. I hated popcorn, actually, but if Grandmother insisted, I would eat it. Reluctantly, I stuck a handful of the snack in my mouth._

 _"_ _Of course, Anmatsu," Grandmother answered happily, wrinkled brown eyes focused on the television screen. "I love you, you know. To the moon and back."_

 _I swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling sick to my stomach. "I-I l-love you too, mama," I muttered. Grandmother loved Anmatsu, I knew. She didn't love me, I realized._


	14. Epsiode 14: The Third Trial!

**門前の小僧習わぬ経を読む。**

 ** _Mon zen no kozō narawanu kyō wo yomu_**

 **The environment makes our characters**

I didn't know how much time passed from when I first sat down and the doors opened. I opened my eyes, immediately stopping my humming, as the other girls from Class 1-A filed into the locker room. Momo and Jirou entered the room first, surrounded by an aura of gloom and doom.

I blinked in surprise at their dark aura. "Uh, g-guys? W-what's wrong?" I asked, feeling very nervous. Had something horrible happened? They looked like someone had died.

Jirou glanced at me with dark eyes. "There's going to be a cheer battle between the girls of the freshmen classes," she informed me darkly.

"R-really?!" I was first startled by the information… and then disbelieving. "Th-that can't be r-right, th-they've never done th-that b-before," I looked to Momo suspiciously. "W-who told you th-that?"

Momo was taking off her jumpsuit, still exuding a depressed air. "Mineta and Kaminari did. They said Mister Aizawa had sent them," she mumbled.

"Th-they were l-lying," I deduced, wrinkling my nose in disgust. "M-Mineta is an a-awful p-pervert, y-you shouldn't believe him s-so easily, Momo."

Ochako nodded from her own locker. "That's true. Mineta makes odd comments to us all the time."

"Even so," Momo decided, lifting her shirt to reveal her stomach. "I will make us cheer uniforms just in case. If need be, we'll be able to change into them." With a shimmer, the first cheer uniform spouted from her belly, floating to the floor.

"N-no thanks," I disagreed, shaking my head adamantly. "Even if i-it is r-required, I-I'm n-not doing it," I puffed out my cheeks and crossed my arms. "Th-those costumes are s-super i-immodest."

Asui stared at me. "Ichigo-chan, you have an obsession with modesty. Were you raised in a nunnery?" She asked blandly.

I flushed. "N-no!" I stammered out, shaking my head wildly. "N-n-not at a-all!"

Ochako laughed, holding her hands up as a placating gesture. "Icchan, it's okay, we believe you!"

* * *

I exited the locker room with the other girls, reentering the arena as the noonday break ended. The greens had been cleared out for the most part, with large rubber balls and mini tracks replacing what had originally been the cavalry field. I scanned the open area, wracking my brain for information explaining the sudden appearance of the toys. Was there something I was forgetting?

Present Mic's voice echoed throughout the stadium. "BEFORE we get started with the final event, there's good news for those who dropped out of the preliminaries!" I tilted my head, wondering how the losers were going to benefit from the next event. Then I smacked my own head, because that had been a very rude thought, and I didn't want to become like Bakago. "In the end, this is a sports festival," Present Mic continued. "So to let everyone participate, we have some _recreational_ events in store! Just look how fired up those American cheerleaders are…!" I glanced over to the side of the arena and sighed defeatedly. The cheerleaders were blonde, blue eyed, and tall. They were so stereotypical I wanted to hit myself in the forehead again.

"Awww!" I turned to see Mineta and Kaminari looking at us girls sadly.

"They didn't do it…!" Mineta whined dramatically, eyes watering. "How did they call our bluff?"

I glared at the smaller boy heatedly. "W-we aren't s-stupid," I growled, and Mineta recoiled instantly.

Kaminari held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Sorry, sorry. He roped me into it," he tried to excuse himself.

Ochako narrowed her eyes at him. "Well don't let him next time then!" She ordered unforgivingly. I nodded in agreement.

"Indeed," Momo quipped, crossing her arms and adding in her own two cents. "I would appreciate not looking like a fool on international television, thank you." I gulped at the reminder. It had been easy to forget before, high on adrenaline, emotion, and the thrill of victory, but I had once again been reminded that everything we did in this competition was being broadcasted.

My eyes started to squirrel around, and I wondered if it would be okay for me to not participate in the "recreational activities." My escape plans were interrupted by Ochako's hand on my shoulder. "Icchan, you pulled some really cool acrobatics before," she observed, clearly trying to distract me. "Are you a gymnast or something?"

I shook my head, trying to keep from hyperventilating. I didn't want to faint on television. "N-no, M-Mister Aizawa has b-been t-training me," I explained haltingly. "H-he s-said th-that I'd need to adjust m-my fighting s-style t-to accomodate f-for my c-capture w-weapon training."

"Would you mind showcasing a few tricks?" Ochako smiled brightly. "Like what you did after the second trial, it was awesome!"

"A-ah, sure," I agreed nervously. I took a few steps forward, raising my arms up and getting ready. I glanced back at Ochako for reassurance, and she gave me a thumbs up. I looked forward, took a deep breath, and then my world tilted as I planted my hands in the grass and kicked my legs into the air. I cartwheeled once, twice, three times, and then pushed off, flipping so that my hands didn't touch the ground.

I landed on my feet with my arms spread, and the other girls were clapping behind me. I grinned, feeling the thrill of doing acrobatic tricks kick in. I swung my arms around and flipped backwards. As soon as my toes touched, I curled up, falling into a backwards tumble before popping up into a handstand. I walked forwards on my hands, then spread my legs and swung down into a straddle.

I sent Ochako a peace sign. "Th-that good?" I asked proudly.

Ochako gave me a double thumbs up. "Awesome! Don't stop though - look, everyone's watching!" I glanced up at the jumbotrons, and blushed when I saw myself being projected. Then, I set my jaw, because this was something I was good at and I enjoyed, and I wasn't going to let stage fright ruin in for me.

Laying back, I pushed myself into a tumble, jumping to my feet and doing a series of flips and cartwheels that left my mind spinning. I laughed giddily the entire time.

* * *

I did tricks for a while, burning the anxiety from my mind with a combination of adrenaline and exhaustion. When I finally tired myself out, I excused myself, and returned to the locker rooms. I washed my face, wiping away the sweat and trying to cool down my cheeks, which were bright red.

I left the locker room a few minutes before the matches could start. The back hallways leading to the stadium were empty by then, and every step I took was loud and ringing. Climbing the stairs to the seating sector reserved for students, I carefully tucked my braids into my jumpsuit, and tried to soothe the last of my nerves.

Stepping out into the light of the seating box, I spotted the backs of Ochako and Tenya's heads. "H-hey!" I called, giving a small wave. Ochako glanced over her shoulder and grinned.

"Icchan! Sit over here, I saved you a chair!" She answered, patting the empty seat next to her. Sheepishly, I sat down, rubbing the back of my neck.

"S-sorry for being l-late," I apologized, glancing past Ochako to see Tenya. "I d-didn't m-miss anything?"

Tenya shook his head, pointing down to the arena. "You didn't. The first match is starting now," I followed his finger to the concrete stage below. My eyes widened in surprise, but then again I had been absent when they announced the match ups.

"FOR THE FIRST FIGHT, WE HAVE HITOSHI SHINSOU, A MEMBER OF THE TEAM THAT WHISKED AWAY THE TEN MILLION POINTS IN THE CAVALRY BATTLE!" Present Mic introduced loudly. I bursted into cheers, ecstatic to see Shinsou looking determined to win. The audience was roaring with excitement as well. "VERSUS! ASHIDO MINA... THE GIRL WITH PINK SKIN!" I sighed at this, shaking my head. Mister Aizawa had told me this before many times, but in moments like this, I couldn't help but agree: Present Mic was an idiot. The audience cheered regardless, but it was a little quieter and much more confused than Shinsou's introduction. "The rules are simple! If your opponent leaves the ring, can't move, or says "I give up", then the victory is yours! Don't worry about overdoing yourself, Recovery Girl is waiting at the edge of the stadium! So, leave your morals to the side and give it your all!" I winced at the comment. Leave our morals, interesting thing for a hero to say. I could hear Mister Aizawa mutter something to Present Mic over the intercom, and the Pro Hero scrambled to recover. "OF COURSE, putting the life of your opponent at risk is not permitted, if you do that you'll be disqualified immediately! Heroes should only attack without mercy against villains!"

Ochako glanced at me, eyes glimmering with amusement. "Present Mic is having a little trouble, huh?" she commented. I giggled, nodding in agreement. Present Mic was a bit of an airhead, and he was showing his true colors proudly right now.

"WITHOUT FURTHER ADO," Present Mic announced. "LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!"

I tensed, leaning forward to watch as Ashido charged towards Shinsou. I should be rooting for because she was my classmaet, but Shinsou had been my teammate last trial, and if I was honest, I really, really wanted him to succeed.

Ashido charged forward, using her acid to increase her speed. The corrosive liquid allowed her to skate across the concrete, toes digging into the cement as she sped forwards.

Shinsou didn't move as Ashido grew closer and closer to him, his hands still resting in his pockets. I frowned in confusion. What was he doing? Then, I saw the faintest glimmer of movement, as he said something the audience couldn't hear. Ashido glared at him, mouth opening - and froze.

I grinned triumphantly. "H-he did it!" I chirped, buzzing with happiness.

Mina turned around slowly, each step she took dragging, until she shuffled past the boundary of the battle area. Shinsou smirked, and I could see his victorious expression on the big screens lining the arena. I cheered joyfully with the rest of the audience as Shinsou was declared the winner of his match.

Tenya stared at me, aghast. "Ichigo?! What are you doing?! You should be cheering on your classmate!"

"I kn-know, but," I smiled at Tenya brightly, closing my eyes as I did so. "Shinsou was m-my teammate t-too, s-so I can ch-cheer him on, r-right?" Tenya gaped at me.

Ochako thumped me on the back. "That's right, Icchan! Jeez, how are you so nice all the time?"

I looked at her oddly. "I-I'm not?" I answered confusedly, wondering how she got the impression I was _nice_ all the time. Had my sarcasm not persuaded her otherwise?

"AND NOW, FOR OUR SECOND MATCH! THE KID WHO WIPED AWAY THE COMPETITION IN THE FIRST TRIAL, IZUKU MIDORIYA! VERSUS THE IRON BULWARK WHO LED THE WAY TO VICTORY DURING THE SECOND TRIAL, TETSUTETSU TETSUTETSU…!" Present Mic shouted, adding shortly thereafter, "Yes, that's his real name!"

I laughed, seeing Tetsutetsu pounding his metallic fists together and glare up at the announcer's box. "Don't make fun of me!" He screamed furiously, waving his fists at Present Mic.

"Ah, right! On with the match!" Present Mic declared hurriedly. "BEGIN!"

Tetsutetsu didn't even have time to charge Izuku. Izuku simply flicked his finger in Tetsutetsu direction, and sent the other boy flying via air pressure. He crashed into the arena's far-side wall heavily, the impact creating a web of cracks and dents in the arena's wall and floor.

I clapped, cheering for Izuku's victory, but more quietly than I had for Shinsou's. I was proud of my friend, but for my teammate... Izuku had been a horrible match for Tetsutetsu, he was probably feeling ridiculously frustrated. I watched Recovery Girl approach Tetsutetsu's fallen form sadly, wondering how many times I would get stuck watching my friends fight in this competition.

Fighting wasn't something I enjoyed. I liked winning, yes, but hurting others to get there wasn't my style. Before I had ever considered being a hero, I wanted to be a doctor. Helping people was my dream, and this competition was the anathema of everything I stood for.

But Izuku was right, I thought, turning my gaze away from Tetsutetsu to see Izuku approaching Recovery Girl, holding his shattered finger delicately. Everyone was shooting for the top today, and it would be wrong of me to hold back.

Tenya rose from him seat. "If you will excuse me, I must go prepare for my match now!" He declared, glasses flashing. He then marched out of the viewing box and down the stairs.

I turned to Ochako curiously. "S-speaking of th-that, Ocha-chan, who am I f-fighting?" I questioned, clutching my pants tightly.

Ochako jolted. "Oh right! You missed that. Your teammate from the last round - Ibara Shiozaki, I think - drew your name, so she'll be your opponent!"

"Oh," I mumbled, eyes widening. My grip on my pants weakened as my resolve lessened. "O-okay then." I stood up abruptly. "S-sorry, I have t-to g-go!" I turned and rushed down the stairs, fleeing into the halls. I turned without a destination in mind, hoping to find somewhere to hide from my own thoughts. I didn't want to fight someone I was beginning to see as a friend, and I definitely didn't want to steal away her opportunity to get a good apprenticeship! Yet at the same time, I wanted to prove myself, not only to Izuku and Mister Aizawa, but everyone watching! Even _her_ , although she wouldn't recognize me. The grey walls and bleak lighting of the arena halls blurred together as I picked up speed.

I turned a corner and crashed into someone. "Gyah!" I squeaked, falling backwards. My training kicked in, and I hit the ground in a backwards tumble, popping back up to my feet. I saw Izuku's shocked face, and bowed immediately. "S-sorry, I should've p-paid m-more attention t-to where I was g-going!" I apologized, then tried to rush past him. "E-excuse me!"

Izuku reached out for me as I tried to run by. "Wait, Ichigo!" I froze, looking over my shoulder at him nervously. "Are you okay?" He asked in a concerned tone. I stared at the floor guiltily, wondering how I could be so easy to read.

"I-it's j-just," I started, then paused, and sighed sadly. "I'm f-fighting Shiozaki in th-the arena, b-but she w-was m-my teammate before…"

Izuku visibly swallowed. "Oh," he acknowledged quietly. I nodded meekly, feeling even worse. Izuku opened his mouth, hesitated, and then spoke. "Y-you know, I talked to somebody before this competition started, and he told me that this competition was a test. Heroes have to fight each other too, for popularity," he began. My mind instantly started whirring, and I wondered if Izuku meant the mysterious, skeletal blonde from before. Was he a guidance counselor? "I don't think Shiozaki would appreciate it if you threw the match - n-not that you wouldn't t-take it seriously! - but if you didn't give your all, and she won, I think it would look worse than you winning an honest fight." Izuku met my eyes, and held up his fist. "This competition is our chance to tell the world we're here! If you respect Shiozaki, give your all and try to beat her!"

I considered this for a moment. I don't think I would've thrown the match, but hadn't I, to an extent? I hadn't made any attempts to create a plan to win. I had just run away from Ochako the first chance I got. I gulped, and nodded.

"Y-yeah, I guess you're right," I agreed haltingly. I thought about it for a moment, then smiled shakily. "H-hey, I th-think I h-have a p-plan t-to win. Want t-to help me with it?"

Izuku grinned, clearly approving of my choice. "Sure!" he cheered, pointing up at the ceiling. "But why don't we go get our seats before we miss Tenya's match? We can strategize up there." I smiled back at him, more confidently this time, and walked back towards the seating box again. Izuku was very good at encouraging people, I realized. He was almost as good a cheer squad as Bakago.

* * *

Despite our best intentions, Izuku and I arrived a few moments too late to see Tenya's battle. Ochako, through a storm of laughter, managed to explain how Mei Hatsume, the pink haired support girl from Izuku's team in the second trial, had used Tenya as a human billboard. The "battle" had largely been a demonstration of her inventions, until the girl had accidentally landed herself out of the ring.

Sitting in between Izuku and Ochako, I couldn't help the little snort that escaped me when I saw the replays of the match on the jumbo-trons. That snort turned into a wave of giggles and more snorts, as I tried to stop laughing but couldn't as Hatsume practically spun Tenya like a top around the battlefield on screen.

Ochako stared at me balefully, and I glanced at her curiously as my giggles subsided. "W-what is it?" I asked innocently.

"You are disgustingly cute," Ochako said seriously, and Izuku bobbed his head in agreement, also wide eyed. "I can't even look at you." This only caused me to start giggling again, but fortunately I didn't snort anymore.

"SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING FOLKS! NEXT UP, IT'S THESE TWO!" Present Mic bellowed, and I automatically switched my gaze down to the arena, where two more tiny figures were entering the arena. "He's turned in an _excellent_ performance to make it this far, and yet, what's with that plain jane expression!? Hanta Sero of the heroics department!" The Pro Hero introduced. On the jumbotron, I could see Sero stretch his arms, looking eager for his fight. "VERSUS!" Present Mic continued. "The son of the hero Endeavor, the kid with split right down the middle, Shouto Todoroki!" The camera switched over to Todoroki, and my eyes widened. Todoroki looked majorly pissed. I felt slightly fearful for Sero, wondering how badly he was going to lose this match. Because Sero losing wasn't in question here - it was whether or not he'd be able to walk away from this match at the end.

I leaned towards Izuku. "U-uh, are you g-getting th-the same vibes I-I am?" I whispered. Izuku nodded slowly, eyes also wide and glued to the arena below. I gulped, turning back to the arena. "G-great…"

"START!" Present Mic howled, and I watched in detached horror as Sero attacked immediately, tape shooting from his elbows and wrapping around Todoroki. I could see Sero heave the bound Todoroki with all of his strength, trying to throw the heterochromatic boy from the arena before he could counter attack.

Present Mic was quick to add commentary. "A lightning-quick surprise attack aiming for a ring-out! Almost without a doubt the best choice he could have made! Give it your all, Sero!" Present Mic cheered.

I stared at Todoroki's limp form and disagreed. No, I thought fearfully, Sero should've given up from the start.

Todoroki's foot barely brushed the ground, and in an instant, I was blown back by a rush of cold air. An icy glacier, high enough to climb up the arena and out of the roof, was covering the other side of the stadium. Todoroki froze the tape as well, easily shattering his bonds. At the foot of the glacier, my eyes were stuck on Sero's shaking form, entirely immobilized. He was covered in frost and already trembling from the cold.

"SERO HANTA IS UNABLE TO MOVE!" Present Mic screamed, sounding slightly shocked himself. "TODOROKI WINS!"

Todoroki approached the ice, and the camera's focused on the back of his head, as he melted away the icey mass he'd created. I could hear Izuku inhale sharply beside me in realization, but I was just felt angry.

Trembling from the cold, icy hell Todoroki had just created, I glared at the heterochromatic boy's back. I was seething with rage, I could feel the fury bubbling in my gut. This kid was a brat, I thought. He had someone who loved him watching him right now, and he was willing to act like this? Did he think of anything beyond his own rage? I followed Todoroki's form as he left the arena, willing him to feel my anger.

"U-uh, Ichigo?" I looked over to Izuku, who was staring at me oddly. "Y-you want to tell me your plan now?"

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to relax. "Ah, s-sure," I agreed. "S-so this is w-what I want t-to d-do…" I explained the basis of my strategy to Izuku as Cementoss fixed the arena, and tried to erase thoughts of Todoroki from my mind.

That'd only make me angrier.

A/N Not sure if this chapter turned out as well as I wanted it to. So, Ichigo is going to fight Shiozaki next chapter! Wonder how she'll manage to win... after all, she needs to fight Bakugo, right? To explain Ichigo's dislike - and even bitter hatred - of Todoroki: please consider her backstory! I write this from Ichigo's point of view, so the story telling is based on her perception.

Ichigo is an orphan. She never knew either of her parents, and her grandmother's inability to acknowledge her as her own person _heavily_ damaged Ichigo's sense of self-esteem, which is why she stutters so badly (explanation given!). Because of this, Ichigo never really had people to tell her that they are proud of her. If Ichigo could ask her dead parents any question, it would probably be "Are you proud of me?"

Todoroki, despite his situation with his father, clearly still cares about his mother, and Ichigo assumes the same holds true about his mother caring for him. Therefore, Todoroki acting like a monster on television, despite the fact his mother was watching, is a direct affront to Ichigo. Ichigo will never get to know if her parents are proud of who she is, and Todoroki is willing to risk his mother's opinion of him? It's insulting to her, and she sees it as Todoroki being ungrateful.

Is that fair, or accurate? Probably not, but Ichigo isn't being fair right now. Ichigo is angry, and she sees Todoroki throwing away everything she's ever wanted. She's human, and deeply hurt, so she can't see past her own anger, just as Todoroki can't see past his.


	15. Episode 15: Do Your Best, Icchan!

**ちょうしょはたんしょ**

 ** _chousho wa tansho_**

 **Over-reliance on our strengths leads to careless mistakes.**

I stood in the tunnel leading out to the arena waiting, shifting around and fidgeting with my sleeves awkwardly. Outside, I could hear Present Mic announcing the start of the next match. Exhaling heavily, I took control of my shaking hands, forcing myself to calm down. I reviewed the plan Izuku and I had created in my mind, steeling my nerves. My stomach fluttered nervously, I couldn't wait to get this fight over with.

"AND NOW, IT'S TIME FOR THE FOURTH MATCH!" Present Mic howled, and I stepped into the light. The stadium erupted into cheers as I exited the tunnel, walking up the stairs to the stage.

The battle area looked much larger now that I was on level with it, looking down the rectangular concrete square at Shiozaki. Flames billowed from both sides of the stares, and I could feel the heat brushing against my face. I met Shiozaki's calm gaze with a firm stare of my own. I wouldn't lose here, because I had to prove that I could win. That I could be a hero.

Present Mic began his commentary. "IT'S THE EARTHY GUARDIAN FROM THE HEROICS DEPARTMENT, IBARA SHIOZAKI!" Shiozaki smiled at me, looking oddly pleased by her name. "VERSUS! THE LIGHTNING FAST MIDGET WHO'S BEEN CONTENDING FOR THE TOP FROM THE START, ICHIGO KUROSAKI!" I wrinkled my nose in displeasure. Present Mic had called me a midget! Why did everyone feel the need to comment on my height?!

Shiozaki stared me down. "Kurosaki, I trust this will be a fair match?"

"As f-fair as a f-fight c-can get," I agreed, smiling slightly. "I w-won't g-go down easy." I slid my feet into a running position., leaning forwards.

Shiozaki nodded. "Neither will I," she declared steadily, vines swaying.

"STAAART!" Present Mic screamed.

I shot forward immediately, determined to cover as much ground as I could before Shiozaki's vines could get in the way. Shiozaki was excellent at long range offense and defense, but the closer you got to her, the more she was restricted by the length of her own vines. I stuck low to the ground, and when the concrete cracked below my feet, I pushed off with my toes, doing a quick aerial cartwheel to dodge her first attempt at binding me. I closed the distance in further, speeding up as adrenaline started to pump through my veins.

Present Mic continued to run his mouth. "KUROSAKI JUST DODGED A BULLET! SHE'S REALLY PICKING UP SPEED! HOW LONG CAN SHE HOLD OUT BEFORE SHIOZAKI CATCHES HER THOUGH?!"

I grit my teeth, and when the cement split again, I threw myself sideways, skidding to a stop and darting in again. I was ten feet away from Shiozaki, who was turning with wide eyes as I drew in closer. Five feet. Three feet.

I was too slow to react this time, as vines rose from the ground and wrapped around my ankles. Hanging me upside down, they shot into the air, dangling me from their grip. I narrowed my eyes as the vines grew, covering my sneakers entirely and slowly climbing up my legs.

Shiozaki looked up at me readily. "I will not lose so easily," she informed me. "I will not waste the opportunity I have been given."

I grinned at her toothily. "N-neither will I!" I closed my eyes, lighting the flame in my gut… and then blew on it as hard as I could. Normally, I tried to control the fire of my quirk, make it last longer. Now, I ramped it up as high as I could. I vanished in a gust of steam, the vines burning away around my ankles as I dropped to the ground, landing in a roll and popping up behind a stunned Shiozaki. She was searching for me in the odd smokescreen I had created, coughing as the air grew hotter and thicker from the boiling vapor. My skin already stung. "S-sorry," I whispered in her ear, grabbing my own sleeve and ripping. I took the torn cloth and strung in around her throat, twisting it and dragging her towards the edge of the arena, which was closer than ever.

Shiozaki gagged from my hold, hands instinctively reaching up to claw at my grip. Every scratch she made healed instantly, as I forced her out of the cloud of steam I'd created and tugged her towards the boundary. I could hear the almost universal gasp that passed around the arena as we exited the smokescreen. I tried to imagine what we looked like. Me, less than half of Shiozaki's size and engulfed in a growing pillar of steam, overwhelming my opponent by gagging her with my torn sleeve and slowly pulling her towards the boundary of the battle area.

As we reached the edge, Shiozaki choked in desperation, making a final attempt at resistance. Her hair stabbed towards my gut, trying to force to let go and dodge. I didn't. I stepped forward, throwing Shiozaki over the boundary, and let the vines run me through. She landed outside the painted line roughly, spinning around to land on her back, viney hair still raised towards me.

I coughed, feeling an odd pressure in my stomach where the vines had gutted me. I smiled as Shiozaki weakly, from where she lay sprawled on the ground, staring at me in horror. "M-mind recalling th-those s-so I can heal?" I asked, trying to use my usual cheek and failing. I had maybe twenty seconds left of using my quirk before I crashed.

"SHIOZAKI IS OUT OF THE RING! KUROSAKI WINS!" Present Mic announced, ignoring the deathly silent audience, who were terrified that I was going to die on television. I was sure more than a few people were looking away, not knowing what my quirk was. I felt the urge to giggle build in my throat.

Shiozaki pulled her vines back automatically, opening her mouth to apologize. I held up a hand, as the hole in my abdomen sealed instantaneously. "I-It's fine," I said. "N-no harm d-done." I looked down to see how the injury had healed, and was pleased by the smooth, unscarred skin. I grinned at Shiozaki, waving over my shoulder as I hurried back towards the tunnels. I wasn't going to crash in the middle of the stadium. "G-good match!" I called, vanishing into the tunnel.

As soon I was hidden in the shadows of the tunnel, I sat down and propped myself against the wall. Ripping my other sleeve off, I gagged myself with it. I had used my quirk for approximately two minutes, meaning the crash would only last twenty seconds. Biting down, I switched off my quirk. Tears rose in my eyes as my stomach felt like it was being ripped to shreds and cauterized all at once. I screamed into the gag involuntarily, starting to shake from the unbearable agony.

Then it was over, and I was laying sprawled on the cool stone floor of the tunnel. Spitting the saliva coated fabric from my mouth, I pushed myself back up into a sitting position, ignoring the small puddle of water where my head had been laying. Trembling with exertion, I stood up slowly, and assessed the damage.

My face flushed. My pants had been burned away, the ashen fabric barely reaching my thighs. The stab wound in my stomach had been healed, but it had ripped the front of my jumpsuit regardless, and my sleeves had both been torn off, revealing all of my arms and most of my shoulders. My tank-top had become a crop-top after I was run through. My face heated up even more as I realized that everyone had seen me like this. I reached up and covered my cheeks, letting out unintelligible squeaks of panic.

"Icchan!" I glanced up to see Ochako running towards me, grinning widely. "Here," she called, tossing a pile of cloth at me. I glanced down to see a new uniform.

I smiled at Ochako thankfully, eyes watering from embarrassment. "Th-thank you, Ocha-chan!" I said, quickly changing in the darkness of the tunnel. I switched pants and my jacket in less than eight seconds. "I c-can't b-belive I looked l-like that on t-television," I sighed pitifully, staring at the floor, and pulled on my braids anxiously. I was sure my cheeks were glowing red from the force of my blush.

"Don't worry about it," Ochako told me confidently. "You looked like a real badass, you should've seen everyone's expressions in the viewing box. You're always so kind, but you were like," she made several punches and kicks in the air. "Wham! Bam! I then you stabbed yourself and won!" She turned to me, eyes sparkling with excitement as she made odd gestures in the air around her. "And you were gushing steam and it looked _so cool!_ " She smacked me on the shoulder, and I hid my wince at the abuse to my sore body. "So don't worry about it!"

I grinned shyly, letting go of my punishing grip on my hair. "A-alright," I agreed, following Ochako out of the tunnel. "Y-you know, I m-made a p-plan w-with Izukun b-before th-the match," I told her seriously. Ochako paused, suddenly looking more nervous than I was. "I-if you h-have an idea f-for y-your match against Bakago, h-he and I w-would be m-more than willing t-to h-help perfect it."

Ochako exhaled heavily. "I have some ideas, but…" she bit her lip and clenched her fists. "I don't want to rely on you guys to win. If I'm gonna win, then it'll be with my own strength!" She declared firmly. Her voice echoed in the tunnel, and then Ochako grew sheepish. "Well, that's what I want to do anyways."

"Th-that's okay," I told her, smiling gently. "I w-wanted to d-drop out entirely, r-remember?"

Ochako burst out laughing. "Right!" She agreed, clearly reminiscing about this morning's stress. It almost felt like it had been years since then, rather than hours. I grinned as Ochako's laughter petered off. She grabbed my wrist, and began tugging me towards the stairs. " Well, let's go!" She cheered, taking off in a run. Despite my exhaustion, I managed to keep up with her.

* * *

Reentering the Class A box, I spotted Tenya and Izuku saving our seats. After running all the way back up the arena, I was so tired I felt ready to fall over and die. Ochako had no such reservations, and she dragged me to the front at breakneck speed.

"Hey Izukun! Tenya! I've retrieved Icchan!" Ochako called, yanking me over and pushing me down into a seat between herself and Izuku. I didn't have it in me to resist, limply falling back and allowing myself to be shoved into the cushioned chair.

Izuku leaned forwards into my field of vision, looking concerned. "Uh, Ichigo? Are you alright? You look… tired."

"Mmn…" I tried to speak, talking took too much effort. My head fell back over the edge of the chair, and my eyes closed.

"A-are you sure she's fine?!" Izuku panicked, and I could imagine him looking around frantically, sweating and wide eyed.

Ochako laughed, but it sounded far off. "She'll be fine, she's just tired. I'm sure that match took a lot out of her," she said, and I felt a gentle pat on my shoulder.

"Kurosaki was the man!" I heard Kirishima's voice from behind me. He sounded ridiculously excited. "She totally wiped the floor with that vine girl! She was on her so fast, it was ridiculous!" I smiled weakly without opening my eyes. Kirishima was still calling me male, which I didn't understand, but it was apparently complimentary, so I'd take what I could get.

It was then that Mineta spoke. "And did you see her clothes? It was awesome…" I could practically hear him salivating, and shivered in disgust.

I half opened my eyes, glaring at the small boy sitting above. "Mineta, sh-shut up, no one asked w-what y-you thought," I said scathingly.

I heard a laugh from off to the left. "Geez, Kurosaki, you're mean," Kaminari added appreciatively.

"Everyone be silent!" Tenya thundered. "The next match is beginning!"All eyes returned to the arena, and with all of my strength, I pushed off the chair and flopped forward, dangling my arms over the railing in front of me.

On the jumbotron, I could see Tokoyami and Momo climbing onto the stage. Tokoyami looked serious and confident. Momo appeared oddly unsure of herself, rubbing her arm insecurely. I gulped, feeling the exhaustion drain out of me. "M-Momo…?" I said under my breath, stunned.

Izuku glanced over at me, eyes narrowed in concentration. "The biggest determiner in this match is time," he said.

"Mm," I agreed, frowning doubtfully. "Th-this is a really b-bad m-match up f-for Momo." I sighed, not wanting to watch. Momo was almost guaranteed to lose this match.

"TIME FOR THE NEXT BATTLE!" Present Mic screamed. "FROM THE HEROICS DEPARTMENT, SHE'S ONE OF THE ONLY STUDENTS TO GET IN ON RECOMMENDATIONS THIS YEAR, MOMO YAOYOROZU! VERSUS THE DARK KNIGHT AND HIS SHADOW, FUMIKAGE TOKOYAMI!" The crowd cheered as Momo and Tokoyami got into their positions.

I looked to Izuku, who had his notebook open in his lap, and was shaking his head. I sighed, and turned my gaze back to the stage. This match was already over, and we both knew it. Tokoyami specialized in quick and precise long-range attacks. Momo was a good all around fighter, but she was slow, and less mobile. In a small area where speed was prioritized… Momo had little to no chance of winning.

"STAARRT!" Present Mic yelled, and the fires on the sides of the arena went out immediately.

Momo held her arm out, and with a glimmer of light formed a small iron shield on her arm. It was just in time, because in that moment, Tokoyami's shadow slammed into her, bumping her backwards a few steps. Tokoyami had yet to move, looking deeply concentrated as his shadow wheeled back for another hit. Momo reached back, trying to form another object - I assumed something to attack with - but Tokoyami didn't give her a chance to concentrate, repeating bumping into her until she moved back, back, and over the boundary line.

Present Mic was howling through the air in moments. "TOKOYAMI WINS!" The crowd broke out into cheers again, clapping for Tokoyami's quick and decisive victory. My eyes were fixed on Momo's devastated face, as she turned back towards her tunnel and exited the arena, head and shoulders slumped in defeat.

"P-poor Momo," I whispered, fully realizing what had occured. "H-he didn't w-want t-to hurt her…"

Izuku nodded, mouth set in a grim line. "Tokoyami had complete control of that match from the start. He targeted the shield to avoid hurting her," he shook his head again. "That has to feel awful for Yaoyorozu."

Ochako glanced towards us, eyes wide. "He didn't want to hurt her?" She repeated in surprise.

"Y-yeah, th-that's why he t-targeted her shield," I elaborated, feeling deeply disappointed for Momo. It was almost insulting, that Tokoyami had taken the time to allow her to protect herself. Being treated with kids gloves was never fun.

"Oh," Ochako said, turning back towards the arena. She stared at the battle area for a long moment, then set her shoulders. I could see the determination in her expression. She didn't want to end up like Momo, treated with "respect" and easily beaten. I wasn't sure if I should encourage her resolve, or fear for my friend's safety.

In the end, I said nothing, returning my eyes to the arena as the next pair walked on stage. I recognized both boys' distinctive hair styles from a mile away, and glanced over my shoulder, surprised I had missed them leaving. Maybe I hadn't gotten past my exhaustion.

"AND NOW, IT'S THE MANLY MAN WITH SKIN AS HARD AS STONE, EIJIROU KIRISHIMA! VERSUS THE GUY WHO'S QUIRK IS A REAL _SHOCKER_ ," Present Mic emphasized the last word, and I wrinkled my nose at the bad pun. "DENKI KAMINARI!" Kirishima cracked his knuckles on screen, and I could see Kaminari's wide grin projected on big screens. "START!" Present Mic howled.

Kaminari spread his arms, smiling smugly. I could see his lips move, something along the lines of "this ending quick", before the battle area vanished in a bright flash of electricity. I could only assume he was trying to knock Kirishima out fast.

I smacked my forehead. "Th-that d-dummy, he's already l-lost," I mumbled.

Tenya nodded in agreement. "Indeed. I believe that he is attempting to showcase his abilities before he loses," he sai in Kaminari's defense.

"I don't know," Izuku disagreed doubtfully. "From what I have recorded, strategy is not Kaminari's strong point. He may not have realized…" his voice petered off, flipping through the pages of his notebook frantically.

Ochako looked between us curiously. "What do you mean?" She questioned.

"S-stone is an a-awful c-conductor," I finished, pointing back towards the arena. Kaminari was panting as his shock finally gave out. He smirked towards Kirishima, expecting to see a downed body. He was instead met with a fist to the jaw, as Kirishima's rock hard fist slammed into his face. Kaminari caught air, eyes wide, before crumpling to the concrete ground, out like a light.

Kirishima held his arms up, grinning triumphantly. "KIRISHIMA GET'S HIM WITH A RIGHT HOOK, AND KAMINARI IS DOWN FOR THE COUNT!" Present Mic commentated. "KIRISHIMA WINS THE MATCH!"

I smiled and clapped with audience. Kirishima was friendly, and I was happy to see him succeed. Recovery Girl climbed on the stage, healing Kaminari's rapidly bruising jaw, although the blonde didn't wake up. After the arena was finally cleaned up, I glanced over my shoulder.

Ochako's seat was empty, and the smile slowly slid off my face.


	16. Episode 16: Ochako Vs Bakugo!

**ねこのくびにすずをつける**

 ** _neko no kubi ni suzu o tsukeru_** **  
"to put a bell around a cat's neck", or to discuss doing something that is nearly impossible to do**

Grabbing her abandoned drink, I exited the viewing box, determined to go find Ochako. My immediate and most probable guess was that she was in the waiting room, preparing for her match, so I headed down the stairs. I was still slightly tired from the earlier match, but I felt better than I had before, so walking down ten floors was easy. Quietly shuffling down the hall under the arena, I spotted the familiar door. Silently, I slid into the room.

Ochako was sitting at a long table, staring at her hands. I smiled cheerfully, shutting my eyes. "H-hey," I greeted casually, giving a small wave, and Ochako's head snapped up, eyes wide with surprise.

"I-Icchan?" She started, before grinning herself. "Jeez, don't scare me like that! What if you were Bakugo or something?" She shuddered theatrically, wrapping her arms around herself.

I nodded, sitting down across from her at the table. I plopped the drink down on the center. "S-speaking of Bakago," I began, watching Ochako take the tea and sip from it. "W-what's y-your plan?"

Ochako swallowed her tea. "Plan? What do you mean?" she said innocently, clutching her drink close to her chest.

"I-I'm not s-stupid, Ocha-chan, and n-neither a-are you," I responded sternly, narrowing my eyes. "S-so what's your p-plan?"

Ochako blushed, eyes averting down again. "It isn't much of a plan…" she mumbled. "But I was thinking, if I charged him and stayed low to the ground, Bakugo's explosions…" her voice dwindled off, and she took another sip of her tea, eyes fixed to her lap.

"H-he'll m-make weapons f-for you?" I finished, smiling proudly. "Th-that's a g-great idea! And if y-you c-can get your h-hands on him, th-that'll b-be another m-major advantage," Ochako nodded, eyes brightening. I grinned, leaning forwards. "If I c-can make a suggestion… d-don't r-release all th-the rubble at once. It's a-always g-good to have a P-Plan B, right?"

Ochako grinned. "Yeah! You're right… but Ichigo," I paused, surprised by her use of my name. She was being serious again. "I - I don't want to rely on you and Izuku for everything… I want to make this on my own. Otherwise, that victory won't mean anything," she looked up at me, and I could see the determination in her eyes. "So I'm going to do my best, so I can fight you in the next round!"

I stared at her for a moment, stunned by the declaration. Then I grinned as well. "I h-hope I'll g-get t-to fight you, then!" I cheered. After an awkward, tense moment, I deflated. "B-but why d-does everyone w-want t-to fight me a-anyways. W-what's s-so cool about b-beating up a 'midget'." I wrinkled my nose, remembering Present Mic's words. Ochako laughed, and I stood up. "All right th-then," I said, walking towards the door. "I'll g-give y-you your space," I opened it, stepping into the hall. "B-bye!" I chirped, shutting the door behind me. I turned, and was surprised to spot Izuku and Tenya in the center of the hallway.

"Oh, Ichigo!" Izuku said, startled. "Is Ochako in there? I wanted to talk to her before the match started."

"Y-yes, she is, b-but," I inhaled, trying to channel the part of me that normally only popped up in the heat of battle. "She doesn't want to r-rely on us to w-win. She h-has a pretty g-good plan actually, so I th-think we should give her space." I sounded much more assertive than I usually did.

Izuku stared at me with wide eyes, before flicking his gaze to the door. "Okay," he agreed slowly, sounding slightly depressed. He seemed to be realizing something I had not, and I wondered what I had missed.

Tenya was as enthusiastic as ever, waving his arms wildly. "Ichigo! Your stutter is much less pronounced!" He pointed out loudly.

I flushed. "R-really?"

"Yes!" He cheered, holding up his hand with four fingers. "You spoke two full sentences and stuttered only four times, which is much better than usual!"

Izuku nodded, eyes brightening as well. "Now that you mention it, that's right!" He gave me a thumbs up. "Good job, Ichigo!"

I pressed my hands to my cheeks, feeling them heat up. I still wasn't used to receiving kudos from others. "Th-thanks guys," I mumbled. "L-let's get back to the v-viewing b-box though, we d-don't want to m-miss Ocha-chan's m-match."

* * *

We returned to our spots in the Class A viewing box. Our seats were still empty, so we returned to our spots, the unfilled chair between Tenya and I adding to the building tension in the air. I hoped that Ochako would win this match, but logic told me that Bakugo was far too powerful. Just like Todoroki and Sero, clever moves could only last against overwhelming force in an enclosed area for so long. Ochako probably wouldn't win this match, but she could still impress the pro-heroes looking for interns if she did well.

Finally, the jumbotrons switched over to showing the arena. I could see a grumpy looking Bakugo stalk onto the stage, hands shoved into his pockets messily, and Ochako stride up as well,

"It's time for the eighth and final match of the first round!" Present Mic introduced loudly, as the audience roared. "He was kind of famous in middle school, from the heroics department, it's KATSUKI BAKUGO! Versus - she's the one I'm rooting for, from the same department - OCHAKO URARAKA!"

I gripped the sides of my seat, biting my lip anxiously. "D-do you th-think she'll win…?" I mumbled hopefully, already knowing the answer.

"There's always a chance…" Izuku answered, sounding just as doubtful as I was. I gulped.

"START!" Present Mic screamed, and Ochako charged. She kept low to the ground, arms spread outwards, and rushed towards Bakugo, who had only just removed his hands from his pockets. Her expression was fiercely determined, but before she could get close enough to touch him, Bakugo flung an explosion in her face, hiding them both in a cloud of smoke. I couldn't help but smile when I saw several pieces of rubble float out of that cloud and into the air.

Ochako's plan had already begun.

Bakugo snarled, searching the smoke for Ochako's shadowed form. When he noticed a dark spot in the smoke, he lunged. My eyes widened as I noticed the blue jacket his hands were slamming into… was empty. Bakugo pinned the loose clothing to the ground, and from behind him, Ochako emerged, hands outstretched.

Bakugo then spun around, much faster than I thought him capable, and cleared Ochako away from himself with another loud boom. A quick flash, and Ochako was back several feet and charging in again, hands always, always outstretched. I smiled as Ochako dove in again and again, displaying her incredible tenacity as more and more pieces of rock rose into the air.

"Sh-she's incredible," I muttered, marveling at Ochako's dedication. "T-talk about d-determination…"

Tenya looked at me oddly. "What do you mean?" He asked, confused by my awe.

I lifted my head upwards. "L-look at th-the sky," I answered, feeling immensely proud of my friend. The entirety of the Class A box gasped at the sight of the horde of rubble floating in the air. "Sh-she's using h-him t-to create ammo," I explained. "And b-by st-staying low to th-the ground and c-causing more explosions, she's l-limiting his v-vision until it's t-too l-late."

"Wow," Izuku said under his breath, and I grinned at him. Ochako was proving just how well she could operate on her own. With spirit like that, I thought, looking back towards the fight, how could she ever think she needed to rely on us?

Another explosion went off, and I could see Bakugo panting from exertion. Ochako flew back even further than before, and she rubbed her cheek with her forearm, cleaning away a thick coating of sweat. At that moment, a roar of protest broke out from the Pro Hero viewing box. "HEY, DO YOU MEAN TO BE A HERO WITH CONDUCT LIKE THAT?! IF YOUR STRENGTH LEVEL IS THAT MUCH HIGHER, JUST BLOW HER OUT OF BOUNDS ALREADY!" A hero roared. "HOW DARE YOU TOY WITH A GIRL LIKE THAT!?"

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. "W-why must people always f-focus on th-the fact s-someone's f-female…" I muttered bitterly. "H-he's showing r-respect f-for her abilities by n-not b-blowing her off. B-Bakago is less of an idiot th-than them."

Izuku wilted. "You're really opinionated, Ichigo…" He said in disbelief.

"N-not really," I shrugged. "I j-just d-dislike stupid people," I narrowed my eyes towards the booing heroes. "And th-the world has a l-lot of th-them." Izuku stared at me with wide eyes, as if seeing me in a whole new light.

Tenya jumped on board. "It is most disgraceful for a Pro Hero not to notice Ochako's plan," he said sternly, ignoring the fact he had missed the cloud of rubble as well. "And Ochako's gender should not affect their decision making." I nodded firmly in agreement, crossing my arms.

"The stands are booing him!" Present Mic observed over the intercom, sounding incredulous. Then, he sighed loudly. "I gotta say, I kinda agree - OWW, YOU ELBOWED ME-!"

Present Mic was cut off by a familiar voice. "Who just said he's toying with her? You're a Pro? For how many years?" Mister Aizawa's voice cut in, sounding lowly infuriated. The booing dwindled off as the sudden, angry interruption. "If you said that in your right mind, then there's no meaning in you watching this. Do us all a favor and go home," Mister Aizawa insulted. I smiled viciously at the familiar, scathing tone. Mister Aizawa was _pissed_. "In fact, you ought to consider switching careers. Bakugo clearly recognizes the strength of an opponent that has made it this far, and is on his guard as a result." The big-screens quickly moved to show Bakugo's concentrated expression to accompany Mister Aizawa's speech. "It's because he's doing everything in his power to win, that he's refusing to let his guard down or stay his hand."

The camera panned over to Ochako's face, who looked extremely determined. She said something along the lines of "thank you", and pressed her hands together. The rubble in the sky plummeted towards the earth. I watched it fall, feeling ridiculously proud of Ochako's plan's success -

In a single, roaring explosion, the entire wave of rocks was blown away. Bakugo stood darkly in the center of the arena, one arm raised and bracing it with his other hand, as the fragmented shards of Ochako's attack rained around him. I was stunned for a moment, wondering why he hadn't used that sort of fire power before, and then I noticed how his arm was trembling. I bit my lips, clutching my pants.

So, Bakugo had his limits as well, I realized. Just like Izuku and I, Bakugo had a limit to how much power he could use without damaging himself.

Ochako was kneeling on the ground, eyes wide in disbelief. I could only imagine how frustrated she was feeling right now. It would be even worse than Izuku's match with Tetsutetsu, because unlike him, she'd been able to give her all, and fallen short anyway.

She tried to push herself to her feet again, barely managing to step forwards, before falling to the ground limply. I tensed, wondering if I'd need to heal her, or if Recovery Girl would be able to heal all her injuries without exhausting her.

Midnight walked forwards, kneeling down and laying a hand on Ochako's back. "Uraraka is unable to move," she announced grimly. "Bakugo advances to the next round!"

I grit my teeth, and stood up abruptly. Wheeling around, I stalked towards the stairs. Ochako would be released from Recovery Girl's care shortly, I was sure. We could return upstairs for the next match together, and hopefully I'd get the chance to talk to her. She had done amazing, and she had impressed plenty of pros with her quick thinking. The cameras had shown the stunned faces of the protesters after her attack. Hopefully, that would make her feel better about losing.

* * *

I sat in the locker room, waiting for Ochako to show up. I was tapping my hands on the table anxiously, wondering how long it was going to be before she inevitably appeared. There was a quick thirty minute break between round one and round two, and I hoped that Ochako would arrive before my next match started.

When the door finally opened, Ochako stepped into the room with her head hung and eyes wet. I stared at her for a moment, then stood up and walked over to her, noting the bandage on her cheek. "H-hey," I said quietly. "M-mind if I h-heal th-those?" I wasn't really asking for permission, because I reached out and grabbed her hand anyways, taking all of five seconds to turn on my quirk, share the power, and deactivate it again. I didn't even wince from the backlash, the pain from a few cuts and abrasions barely worth noticing in my book.

Ochako glanced at me, eyes watering. "It's just - I really wanted to win," she told me, voice thick with tears.

"Y-you w-wanted to help y-your parents, r-right?" I asked her, and Ochako nodded slowly. I smiled softly. "P-plenty of th-the pros were s-surprised b-by what you d-did. Y-you had th-the m-most impressive fight out of all th-the opening m-matches. S-so," I squeezed her hand. "Y-you did g-great, okay?"

Ochako stared at me for a moment, before grinning herself, frustrated tears still pouring down her cheeks. "A-alright!" She sniffed, lowering herself and hugging me. I squeaked, waving my arms around for a moment, before hugging her back awkwardly. "Th-thanks, Icchan," she mumbled into my hair, tightening her grip.

I fidgeted a bit, having not been actually hugged in months, before adjusting. "Y-you're welcome," I responded, trying to keep my bewilderment out of my voice.

I must have failed miserably, because Ochako started laughing, letting go of me and wiping her eyes. "Anyways, I'm n-need to talk to my parents, so if you don't mind…"

"S-sure," I agreed, nodding in understanding. "I'll k-keep Izukun f-from b-busting in too. P-please c-come back to th-the stands soon th-though," I grinned cheerfully. "W-wouldn't want to m-miss your c-crush's m-match, right?"

Ochako gasped, face turning bright red. "What - What's that supposed to mean?!" She waved her hands frantically, before pressing them to her blushing cheeks.

I giggled. "Y-you are s-so obvious," I informed her. "D-don't w-worry, I'm ninety-nine p-percent sure he f-feels th-the same," I looked at her mock sternly, waving my finger dramatically. "Which is w-why you c-can't m-miss his match, or he'll f-feel b-bad, got it?"

Ochako, face still flushed, nodded. "Sure. Okay. Fine. Can you go now?" She sounded slightly desperate. Giggling, I nodded, waving at her as I exited the waiting room. As soon as the door shut, I sighed in relief. I had successfully cheered up Ochako, now to deter Izuku and Tenya from crashing the party too early.

I opened my eyes and gasped. "I-Izuku!" I then forced myself to relax, as the green haired boy stared at me in surprise as well. "I t-talked to Ocha-chan," I said solemnly, and he nodded. "Sh-she's t-talking to her parents r-right now, b-but she'll be b-back soon. W-we should p-probably head back," I told him.

"Ah, alright," Izuku agreed awkwardly, and after a pregnant pause, we both started down the hall. After a minute of walking in silence, Izuku glanced down at me. "So, is she alright?"

"Mhm," I confirmed. "J-just frustrated, sh-she should be o-okay th-though," I bit my lip, hoping this wouldn't create issues later on.

Izuku, ever astute, noticed. "Is something wrong?" He asked me concernedly.

"N-not really," I started, before sighing in defeat. "I j-just d-don't want Ocha-chan t-to be upset w-with m-me cause I'm d-doing well."

"Oh," Izuku's eyes widened in surprise, before he smiled. "I don't think you have to worry about that," he said seriously. "Ochako's better than petty envy."

I smiled, because despite that argument lacking any facts, it made me feel better. "R-right. W-well, I wonder w-who we're f-fighting next-" I was cut off by the sounds of heavy footsteps coming down the hall. I froze next to Izuku, and both of us stared with wide eyes as a tall, hulking man covered in flames and radiating heat stalked in front of us. I met his eyes, which were icy cold. They were familiar color, and I realized this was the number two hero, Endeavor, Shouto Todoroki's father.

I wilted a little, hands clenching my pants to stop them from shaking. Quietly, I grabbed Izuku's wrist, trying to tug him forwards so we could book it down the hall and away from the scary man covered in fire. Unfortunately, my escape was blocked.

Endeavor pointed a finger in Izuku's face. "You're Midoriya, correct?" It didn't sound like a question. "Your quirk is powerful… the amount of wind pressure you generated with a single flick is impressive. In terms of power, you could rival All Might," Izuku gulped, eyes widening, as sweat beaded on his forehead. I watched him anxiously, but Endeavor didn't pause. "My Shouto has a duty to surpass All Might, you won't lose before he can battle you." It was an order, and I found myself nodding with Izuku, trying to skirt past the number two hero. Before I could escape, Endeavor noticed me.

I mentally started to pray. I had kicked his son multiple times in the first trial, and then stole first place out from under his nose in the second. If Shouto hated me, Endeavor probably wanted me dead. "Kurosaki," he began, and all I could think was: _Oh shit he knows my name!_ "What's your quirk?" He demanded.

"M-Mitotic Regeneration," I started, cursing my stutter. I bit my tongue to force my next words out more clearly. "May I ask why you'd like to know?" Izuku flickered his wide eyed gaze to me, clearly recognizing my lack of a stutter.

Endeavor narrowed his eyes. "That's not impressive on it's own," he insulted, and I realized he wanted to know how I'd caught Eraserhead's attention. He knew Mister Aizawa?

I decided to answer his unspoken question. "I c-can share my healing unlimitedly," I said quietly.

"Hmm," Endeavor looked at me consideringly for a moment longer, before turning his eyes back to Izuku. "Make sure you don't disgrace my son, when you fight him." He finished, before stalking off. Izuku and I stared at his back until he finally turned the corner.

I deflated as soon as Endeavor was out of sight. "Oh m-my g-goodness," I breathed, raising a hand to my chest to feel my heart beating. "I th-thought h-he was g-going t-to kill m-me."

"You spoke without stuttering!" Izuku pointed out, and I grinned cheerfully, feeling much happier. I had managed to contain my stammer!

I nodded excitedly, bouncing on my toes. "M-Mister Aizawa gave m-me th-these breathing exercises," I cheered, practically dancing in place.

Izuku nodded, before his expression dimmed. "He said that Todoroki has a duty to surpass All Might," he quoted Endeavor. I darkened, nodding as well. "Todoroki is…" Izuku didn't finish.

"In a b-bad place," I suggested, clenching my fists at my sides. "A-and w-we're going to help him, b-because he has people w-who c-care about him," I said firmly. "I d-don't like his attitude, b-but m-maybe once th-this is over he'll b-be tolerable."

Izuku looked at me in surprise. "Help him?" He repeated.

"Y-yes," I decided, crossing my arms. "H-his life is his l-life, and no one sh-should b-be able to t-tell or c-convince h-him otherwise. Th-then he c-can stop glaring at y-you and I all th-the t-time," I nodded, liking this plan. Izuku stared at me for a moment, before he starting laughing. I looked at him oddly, wondering what was so funny, before blaming the left over adrenaline from our encounter with Endeavor. Todoroki clearly needed a reality check, after all!


	17. Episode 17: A Manly Brawl!

**空いた口に牡丹餅**

 ** _aita kuchi ni botamochi_**

 **an unexpected windfall; a sudden gain**

I ended up returning to the seating area alone. Izuku was part of the first match, and he was fighting Shinsou. Tenya was going to battle Todoroki, Bakugo was versing Tokoyami, and I was facing Kirishima. Sitting down in my seat, fidgeting uncomfortably, I wondered who I was supposed to cheer for. Izuku, my friend, or Shinsou… also my friend.

Tenya glanced over at me, seeming to recognize my discomfort. "Ichigo, are you nervous because Izuku is fighting your teammate from Trial Two?" He asked, nailing the problem on the head. I bit my lip, and then nodded shortly. "I don't think you need to worry," Tenya said, chopping his arm down for emphasis. "For if they are both your friends, then you can cheer for them both!"

"I g-guess," I agreed slowly. Not taking a side definitely had its appeal. I nodded to myself, approving of the idea, before turning back to Tenya. "I th-thought you d-didn't w-want me to cheer f-for other classes…?" I said questioningly.

Tenya adjusted his glasses, lenses flashing. "While that is true, I understand that beyond this competition, all of our classes are part of Yuuei Academy," he surveyed the stadium calmly. "Perhaps if everyone understood this better, Class 1-A wouldn't be held under so much scrutiny or disdain."

I stared at him disbelievingly. "S-so I'm being used t-to p-promote school unity," I shortened his speech.

"Indeed!" Tenya agreed. I sighed in defeat, returning my gaze to the battle area below. The jumbotrons had switched on, highlighting Izuku's determined eyes and Shinsou's confident swagger as they both approached the stage. I could see two tiny black dots growing closer to the concrete platform from my seat.

Present Mic once again began his introductions. "For our first battle of Round Two, it's the General Ed. kid who's stunned us all with his success, HITOSHI SHINSOU! Versus the boy who ended his first match with a flick of his finger, IZUKU MIDORIYA!" The audience cheered loudly, and I clapped for them both. This was a match I couldn't determine the outcome of, because I wasn't sure how well Izuku understood Shinsou's quirk. If Izuku had managed to glean the functions of Shinsou's quirk from the few times he'd seen it, he'd win. If he hadn't, and allowed Shinsou to antagonize him, the purple haired boy was almost guaranteed victory. "STAAAARRRT!" Present Mic screeched.

Izuku didn't even pause, flicking his finger at Shinsou from the get-go. Shinsou, in a display of genius, dropped to the floor, already prepared for Izuku's opening attack. He stood up quickly, darting inwards. I could see his mouth moving on the big-screen, trying to incite Izuku into talking back. Izuku clenched his jaw, firing off another huge wave of wind.

I grinned. "C-cool! Shinsou r-really knows w-what h-he's doing!" I chirped, bouncing in my seat, anxiety forgotten. Ochako glanced at me curiously, and I automatically started to explain. "H-he knows th-that h-he can't win, s-so h-he's using this as a ch-chance to display h-his abilities."

Ochako's mouth opened in a small "o". Then she smiled as well. "That's pretty smart of him!" She turned back to the fight.

Shinsou was continually growing closer to Izuku, trying to lure him into speaking. After his first two attacks, Izuku wasn't sacrificing anymore fingers, merely waiting for an opening. Shinsou was continuing to speak, growing closer all the while. Finally, Izuku opened his mouth to respond - and flicked his finger. Shinsou was sent flying, too late to duck. He crashed into the far wall, and Izuku stood alone in the ring cradling his three damaged fingers.

"MIDORIYA MOVES ON TO THE NEXT ROUND!" Present Mic announced, and the stadium once again burst into cheers. I watched Recovery Girl tend to the two boys on the ground, while Cementoss repaired the stage. Izuku said something to Shinsou, who reacted with surprise, and then the two shook hands. I smiled softly, hoping that meant Shinsou had solved his grudge with the heroics department.

Tenya stood up proudly. "If I may be excused, I must go prepare for my match!" He declared, leaving the viewing box. I blinked in surprise, before turning to Ochako, who had moved to glance at me as well. We both giggled at Tenya's enthusiasm.

"At l-least I w-won't m-miss this match," I whispered to her, and Ochako nodded in agreement, still chuckling.

"Hopefully it's better than the last too," she said quietly, and I remembered the playbacks of Tenya spinning like a top. I covered my mouth to keep from laughing.

A few minutes later, the big-screens stopped showing commercials, and the next match began. Todoroki looked silently determined, but not enraged like before. I sighed in relief, glad I wouldn't have to fear for Tenya's life this time around, like I had Sero.

Present Mic sounded very, very excited. "His last match might've been less than impressive, but he's still the fastest kid in our lineup, TENYA IIDA! Versus the student who's shocking performance left half our audience _frozen_ ," I heard a loud smack from over the intercom, and knew it was Mister Aizawa punishing Present Mic for his pun. "SHOUTO TODOROKI!" Present Mic finished. He left a pause for the audience to cheer, and I crossed my fingers, hoping that Tenya would win. "And now… START!"

There was barely a second before ice raced out from under Todoroki's foot, shooting towards Tenya, who barely managed to dart away. Tenya raced towards Todoroki, trying to reach the heterochromatic boy before he could ice over half the arena again. Todoroki followed Tenya's path, crouching down and touch his hand to the ground. Another wall of ice formed, trapping Tenya in between.

The cameras focused in on Tenya determined face as he spun, shouting out something I could easily lip-read. "RECIPRO BURST!" The entire stadium gasped as he shot across the battle area, reaching Todoroki in seconds. Before his opponent could react, Tenya was dragging Todoroki towards the edge, speeding across the concrete. Unfortunately, he suddenly stopped, and the jumobtrons highlighted his mufflers, which were frozen over. Ice rapidly grew up his legs and body, and Tenya was quickly immobilized.

"TODOROKI WINS!" Present Mic screamed, and the audience erupted. I could hear whistling, shouting, clapping and stomping.

Ochako looked over at me with wide eyes. "Tenya went _so fast_ ," she said in awe. "He was like, zoom! and then he was gone." She waved her arms around to emphasize what she was saying.

I nodded, also very surprised. "Y-yeah, th-that was very impressive. It's t-too bad h-he didn't win, b-but…" I turned towards the Pro Hero sitting area. The gathered professionals also looked stunned. "H-he certainly impressed a l-lot of p-people." I paused for a moment, watching Cementoss clean up, before jumping to my feet. I ran past Ochako, blurting out, " _SorryIhavetogomymatchisnow_!"

* * *

Sitting in the shadowed hall leading to the arena again, I found myself feeling far less anxious than I had before. Kirishima had to be one of the friendliest, most easy going people I'd ever known - he wouldn't hold any grudges against me for this. I would hesitate to call us friends, but we were good acquaintances. He would fight well, I would do my best, and whichever of us was stronger would win. I had yet to beat Izuku, so it would need to be me. A soft announcement prompted me to walk outside again, and I exited the tunnel, feeling much more prepared than before.

"It's time for out third match!" Present Mic shouted, once again sounding very hyped. "The girl who walks off injuries that would kill most grown men, ICHIGO KUROSAKI! Versus the boy with skin as hard as rock and a right hook to match, EIJIROU KIRISHIMA!"

I stared Kirishima down from across the arena, and he looked disturbingly solemn. I squirmed, wondering if I had been wrong… and then he grinned lopsidedly, offering me a thumbs up. "No hard feelings, right?" He asked.

"R-right!" I agreed, grinning back at him. I slid my feet into position, already readying myself. This was going to be a hand-to-hand fight. I wouldn't be able to drag Kirishima like I had Shiozaki, even with all of my training, because his hardening quirk would make him far too heavy for me to carry. I'd need to lure him to the edge, and trip or trick him into stepping over the boundary. He was strong too, one hit and I would risk being sent out of bounds. So this would largely be a fight testing my ability to dodge, while leading him along.

Present Mic raised his arms, sunglasses flashing. "START!"

I smiled cheerfully, and tucked my arms behind my head, sitting back on my heels casually. Kirishima was many things, but fast wasn't one of them, and I had learned how to annoy people from the best (thank you, Shinsou). "H-how's the weather over th-there?" I called cheekily.

Kirishima grinned in disbelief. "You're really going to make me go all the way over there?!" He shouted back.

"Yup!" I confirmed, hearing the audience start to murmur. My eyes briefly scanned the student seating area, and I spotted Ochako and Izuku laughing so hard their bodies shook. My vision then narrowed in on Kirishima again.

He shook his head, clenching his fists. "Alright!" He yelled. "Let's go!" He charged forwards, skin hardening, and with every step he took the pavement cracked. My eyes widened, and in an instant I recovered from my casual pose, feet sliding so I was lower to the ground, arms spread. I had no intentions of even attempting to block Kirishima's attacks.

The second Kirishima threw the first punch, I was on the ground, flipping onto my hands and pushing up to land on my feet again. I immediately fell into a backbend, ducking another punch, and then was forced into a roll to avoid a rock-hard kick. I stood up a few inches away from the boundary.

"Y-you'll have t-to t-try harder," I said happily, smiling and regaining control of my breathing. This wasn't even close to the training Mister Aizawa had put me through. Compared to dodging Eraserhead, Kirishima was slow. But the stakes were higher now.

Kirishima grinned back. "I can do that!" He barked, darting inwards and aiming a jab towards my sternum. I fought every fighting instinct I had, and slipped under his punch, stepping past his extended leg and moving to sweep his feet out from under him. Kirishima's eyes widened, and he stepped back to evade me automatically. I grinned, realizing that despite Kirishima's natural armor, his balance was not improved by his quirk, and rammed myself into his side before his foot could touch down again.

I could see the moment Kirishima understood what I had done, as he toppled backwards, his quirk working against him and making him fall faster. I had duped him into stepping back, to evade a sweep I wasn't strong enough to pull off. The second his foot had left the ground, I knocked him over while he was standing on one leg. Kirishima landed out of bounds on his back, eyes wide.

I paused for a moment, before giggling breathlessly. Laying a hand on my chest, feeling my rapidly fluttering heart, I gasped for air. Turning to Kirishima, I offered my hand. "G-good match!" I complimented.

Kirishima took my hand, grinning good-naturedly. "Yeah, good fight," he agreed. I yanked on his arm, and was forced to take a full step backwards. Around us, the audience erupted into applause as I helped Kirishima to his feet. Kirishima let go of my hand, cracking his knuckles. He extended his fist. "We should do this again sometime!"

I bumped my fist against his. "S-sure!" I agreed, before starting for the tunnel. I was a sweaty mess, my hands were scratched from all the maneuvering I'd done on the concrete, and adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I felt exhilarated and triumphant. I barely noticed the steam that curled between my fingers as I entered the shady tunnel again, still grinning from ear to ear.

I had actually liked fighting, for once.

* * *

I decided to visit another spot in the stands, before returning to the student seating. Climbing the stairs up to the nosebleed section, I noticed the wide eyes I received as I walked past. It felt odd to be in the spotlight. More than a few kids pointed at me as I went by, chattering excitedly. I remembered watching the sports festival when I was a kid, idolizing all the people I saw on television. It was nostalgic and awkward to be in their place, with people looking up to me.

Recognizing the seating area I'd been told about, I walked through the doorway. I was in the nosebleeds now, and the arena looked shockingly tiny from up here. Scanning the heads, I identified a familiar sunhat.

"M-Missus Yukihime!" I called, waving widely. The old woman turned around, aged face smiling brightly. She waved me over, and I darted down the stairs. Reaching her seating row, I glanced at the little girl sitting near the edge. She didn't realize I was there, eyes firmly fixed on the battle area below, where Bakugo was duking it out with Tokoyami.

I shifted awkwardly. "Excuse me? Can I get past you?" I asked politely. I didn't stutter this time either, which I now recognized as a pattern. I didn't stutter when talking to children much younger than me.

She glanced up at me curiously, and then her eyes lit up in recognition, expanding to the size of dinner plates. She looked to the tall woman next to her, who had the same red hair and blue eyes. "Mommy! Mommy! Look, it's the girl who was on fire!" She said excitedly. Her mother turned around patiently, clearly ready to apologize for her daughter's mistake, before recognizing me as well.

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly, blushing at the attention. "S-sorry," I muttered. "C-can I get b-by you?"

"Of course!" The woman agreed instantly, standing up and stepping out of my way. I nodded in thanks, trying to move past her, when tiny hands grasped my sleeve.

I glanced down at the little girl, who's blue eyes were shining eagerly. "Can you sign my hat?" She begged eagerly.

"Uh…" I looked to the girl's mother, wondering if I should really be giving out my autograph.

The mother turned to her daughter sternly. "Now, you can't go demanding autographs from people Michi! It's not polite!"

"I-I don't mind," I interjected, giggling at the awed look in the little girl's eyes. "I-If it's alright w-with you," I acquiesced, and the woman nodded wordlessly. I kneeled down, facing the little girl. "Do you have a pen?" I asked. She nodded frantically, holding up a red marker. I could see the stains on her hands, and wondered if she had been coloring. Snatching the hat off of her head, I held up the brim, and quickly, clearly scrawled my name out in kanji, taking the time to draw a tiny, cartoon strawberry next to my name. I placed the hat back on her head. "There. It was nice to meet you…" I paused, unsure of the girl's name.

"Michi Kayame!" The girl told me. "Thank you, Miss Kurosaki!" She grinned, mouth stained blue from cotton candy.

I giggled, continuing. "It was nice meeting you, Michi-chan," I faced her mother, and bowed my head. "It w-was nice to meet you t-too, Miss Kayame." The woman nodded, and I slipped past them, evading other people's feet and wide eyes, before plopping down in the only empty seat next to Missus Yukihime. I placed my hands to my cheeks, knowing they were hot as coals.

Missus Yukihime grinned in amusement at my red face. "That was very nice of you," she commented, and I felt my cheeks become hotter. I stammered out something unintelligible, and Missus Yukihime laughed. I ducked my head, hiding behind my bangs. Finally, she stopped laughing. "There's someone sitting there, you know," she told me.

"I'll m-move when they c-come back," I said stubbornly. After a pregnant pause, I asked, "D-do you have a h-hairbrush?"

Missus Yukihime chuckled, reaching into her bag. "I do, actually. Your hair certainly needs fixing - you're a mess!" I giggled with her this time, taking the hairbrush. Missus Yukihime was exactly the break I needed from the thrill of the competition. Undoing my braids, I listened to Missus Yukihime's commentary on my classmates' and my fights, brushing my hair and unwinding the anticipation in my gut.

I had reached round three.


	18. Episode 18: The Semifinals Start!

**晴天の霹靂**

 ** _Seiten no heki-reki_**

 **Thunderclap from a clear sky. / A complete surprise.**

"BAKUGO WINS!" Present Mic announced. The audience clapped and cheered, and I sighed in defeat. I leaned forward and placed my head in my hands, groaning dramatically.

Missus Yukihime chuckled. "It isn't the end of the world," she said, clearly amused.

"B-but it _is_ ," I disagreed, frowning down at the arena. Cementoss had already started fixing everything for the next round, using the small intermission to get the battle area ready for the semifinals. "I c-can't b-beat Bakago, Izukun, or T-Todoroki in a r-raw p-power fight, so the m-match is already o-over," I raised up my hand, ticking off my fingers as I listed the ways they could win. "B-Bakago could j-just m-make an explosion and s-send me f-flying, Izukun c-can flick th-the air, and while I m-might be able to m-melt Todoroki's ice, I c-can't actually g-get h-him out of th-the arena."

Missus Yukihime clicked her tongue. "Don't give up so easily, Ichigo," she scolded. "I'm sure that brilliant little mind of yours can figure out a solution. I will not accept a defeatist attitude from any of my employees." She sniffed at the end, folding her hands in her lap primly.

I spread my arms and leaned back. "I-I'm doomed. _Doooooomed_ ," I whined loudly.

"No, you aren't," Missus Yukihime laughed. "Now get you gone. I don't want you missing your next match." Sulkily, I did as told, standing up from my stolen seat and shuffling across the aisle, dodging people's feet as I went. I heard more than a few shouts of encouragement from the people nearby, telling me they hoped I would win.

Quickly making my way down the stairs, which were filling up with people, I dodged glances and ducked my head to hide my face. My uniform marked me a Yuuei Academy student, but I didn't need anyone recognizing me as one of the semifinalists. The little girl from earlier had been sweet, but I didn't want to be asked for autographs again. Especially since my stutter would make me look and sound odd.

Seeing the locked doorway leading to the student seating areas, I nearly cried in relief, running forward and slipping through the doors. Shutting it behind me, I felt the tension in my body relax, no longer surrounding by crowds of people. Taking a moment to enjoy my isolation, I slowly strolled towards the Class A seating box.

I opened the door and was met with the first person I didn't want to see. Bakugo glared at me heatedly from his seat right next to the door. I gulped, and carefully tried to skirt past him, pressing my back against the wall.

It didn't work. "Ichimi," he started, and I immediately froze. "Present Mic just said you'll be fighting me in the semifinals. Don't you dare fuck it up," He turned his head, and I felt myself start to sweat. He was practically growling at me. "I'm going to fucking get that damn gold medal, so throw the fucking fight and I will blow you sky high. I don't give a shit about Deku or Half n' Half right now, got it?"

"Y-y-yeah," I stammered, nodding my head frantically. When he didn't say anything else, I darted away, practically throwing myself into the empty seat next to Ochako and Tenya.

Tenya bowed his head to me in greeting. "Welcome back, Ichigo. Congratulations on making it into the semifinals."

I smiled nervously. "Y-yeah, b-but I'm f-fighting Bakago, s-so th-that may n-not be f-for th-the best," I shivered, wondering how badly having my limbs blown off and regrowing them would hurt. I'd regrown a finger before (long story, there was a cooking accident) and it had been a terrible experience. I didn't want to consider how much more damage than a kitchen knife Bakugo could inflict given free reign. And with a quirk like mine, every match was no-holds-barred.

"Don't think about it like that, Icchan!" Ochako chirped, holding up her fist. "Think that you're going to beat him!"

"B-but I'm not," I deadpanned.

Tenya chopped his hand down firmly. "Do not give up before the fight even begins, Ichigo!" He ordered. "It is unbecoming of a hero!"

I looked up to the clouds for answers. "W-why is everyone I kn-know s-so determined to c-convince me t-to c-commit suicide?" I asked the sky plaintively.

Ochako laughed, patting me on the head and ruffling my newly brushed hair. I wrinkled my nose. "You're really negative, Icchan-"

"IT'S TIME FOR OUR NEXT FIGHT!" Present Mic roared, cutting Ochako off entirely. The big-screens stopped showing commercials, and I was treated to the wonderful view of Izuku walking onto the stage to face-off against a serious looking Todoroki. Izuku's eyes practically glowed with determination, and every alarm I had in my head started blaring. I was on full alert, eyes zooming between the two and wondering just _what_ I had missed, because my instincts were screaming that Izuku was about to do something stupid. "IT'S IZUKU MIDORIYA VERSUS SHOUTO TODOROKI!" Present Mic howled, not bothering with anymore odd introductions. "THE WINNER MAKES IT INTO THE FINALS! ARE YOU READY?!" The audience screamed back in response. "THEN… START!"

By the time Present Mic had finished speaking, the first clash had already occured. My eyes widened as ice flashed across the battle area, rocketing towards Izuku, only to vanish in a harsh crash. Izuku was standing, arm braced, with a single purpled finger extended, while Todoroki leaned back on a wall of ice, keeping himself from being blown away. The crowd roared, and my eyes widened. Izuku was betting on sacrificing his fingers one by one, until he found an opening in Todoroki's defense? That was… insane.

There wasn't time to discuss Izuku's descent into madness though, because Todoroki was attacking again, ice running along the stage. Izuku once again blew it away, sacrificing another finger. I clenched my jaw, gripping my pants, and scanned Todoroki on the screens for any weaknesses. As another wave of ice flew forwards, I narrowed my eyes. There was a thin coating of frost growing up Todoroki's shoe. It was a stretch, but if his quirk worked like mine, using his ice would lower his temperature. It was the opposite of my own, but that meant there was a limit.

I had to stop my jaw from dropping. "A b-battle of attrition," I breathed, suddenly realizing what Izuku was aiming for. Against Todoroki, who's ended his fights as soon as possible, Izuku wanted a battle of stamina, where the last person standing won. I frowned. "B-but shouldn't T-Todoroki b-be able t-to heat himself up?" I wondered. Then stopped, because the conversation I'd accidentally eaverdropped on replayed in my head. I frowned, wondering if Todoroki was really that irrational…

People are stupid, I reminded myself. Of course he is that irrational.

It appeared that Todoroki had picked up on Izuku's plan to draw out the fight, because this time he followed his ice-wave, running along the top of the path and jumping when Izuku obliterated the ice. Todoroki dropped to the floor, shooting ice along the floor and trapping Izuku's foot.

Izuku jerked his arm back, aiming a punch at the ice climbing up his leg. The force of his blow not only swept away the ice, but Todoroki as well, who managed to create another ice shelter to keep himself from being blown away. Climbing up to his feet, Todoroki stared Izuku down from across the arena. My eyes assessed Izuku's mutilated arm, before sweeping over to Todoroki - who's breath was visible.

I grinned triumphantly. "H-he's running out of s-stamina!" I cheered.

Ochako glanced over at me with wide eyes. "What?"

I didn't get a chance to answer, because Bakugo spoke instead. "Quirks have limits, like any other ability," he interjected gruffly. "Half n' Half is pushing his limits with all his damn ice. He's fucking freezing himself," I nodded, because while not eloquent, Bakugo was right.

"S-see his r-right hand?" I added, pointing at the screen. "It's sh-shaking," I grinned, having seen my own hands tremble enough to easily recognize anyone else's too.

It was at that moment, Izuku did something so unbelievably stupid I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. Izuku raised his broken hand, and attacked _again_ with his shattered index finger. I gaped at him, wondering what on earth he was doing, because his hand was officially beyond Recovery Girl's ability to heal. Todoroki smacked into the walls of his ice shelter, eyes wide in shock. Izuku held up his bloodied fist, glaring at Todoroki with burning eyes. He said something, that made Todoroki's jaw clench.

"- AND ACTUALLY FIGHT ME!" Izuku finished, shouting it loud enough that I could hear it up in the stands.

Ochako gaped at the battle field below. "Woah, Izukun is angry," she marveled. "I've never seen him so eager to fight."

Tenya adjusted his glasses. "Izuku isn't one to issue challenges out of anger," he observed. "It's likely there is something else going on." I didn't bother to add my thoughts, too busy staring is shock at Izuku's determined eyes. I had told him Todoroki needed help, but fighting him like this wasn't what I had meant. What was Izuku trying to accomplish, antagonizing Todoroki like that?

Todoroki bared his teeth at Izuku, charging forwards. He was much slower now, and I knew that I'd been right. Todoroki was running out of steam, the ice of his own quirk slowing down his movements. Todoroki launched a punch towards Izuku's head, and Izuku slipped right under it, dishing out his own blow to Todoroki's stomach. The heterochromatic boy went flying back, bouncing on the pavement. My eyes picked up on the ice on Izuku's arm, as Todoroki climbed to his feet.

Then, there was another wave of ice, and Izuku hooked his thumb in his cheek, using his mouth to flick his thumb at the icy attack. Like the others, it was brushed away with a harsh crash. This time, Izuku charged forward, eyes burning insanely, and I could see him speaking, even as he drew back his arm to punch Todoroki again. His fist hooked into Todoroki's gut, and the heterochromatic boy flew backwards, head-over-heels, looking strangely limp. He hit the ground heavily, laying there still for a moment, and Izuku didn't move to approach him.

I frowned, leaning forwards. "W-what is h-he d-doing?" I wondered, clueless as to why Izuku wasn't taking his chance to win the match. Then, achingly slow, Todoroki lifted himself from the ground. There was a moment, where he stood still, shaking, and then the inklings of a fire sparked on his left cheek. As flames licked up Todoroki left side, transforming into a roaring bonfire, my eyes widened like dinner plates. "W-what?" I breathed, then glared at Izuku with all of my might. "W-when I s-said h-help him, I d-didn't meam m-make him ten t-times stronger!" I protested. Izuku had just guaranteed Todoroki was going to win the competition, and I didn't want to fight _that_. _That_ was not okay, and I wasn't going deal with the pain of burning alive if I ever had to fight him again… even if Izuku had likely just fixed Todoroki's attitude problem, based off of the heterochromatic boy's expression.

Todoroki grinned and said something to Izuku. I couldn't read his lips, but Izuku grinned back in response, raising his fist. The largest wave of ice I'd seen Todoroki use yet came shooting forwards, and Izuku jumped higher than he had any business jumping, flying over the ice towards Todoroki. Cementoss and Midnight reacted immediately, trying to stop the two from attacking each other, but it was far too late. Todoroki was consumed by a pillar of fire as every inch of ice in the arena melted away. I barely got to see the dark imprint of the concrete walls Cementoss had built between them shatter, before an explosion went off, and I was clutching the sides of my chair and trying to keep from being blown away.

When I opened my eyes, it was to a smoke cloud that was rapidly clearing away. Todoroki was standing in the center of the arena, battered and exhausted, and against the wall of the arena was Izuku, slumped against the crumpled peices of his own impact crater.

Blood rushed into my ears, and I never heard Present Mic declare Todoroki the winner, or Mister Aizawa explain the explosion, because I was jumping over the railing of the seating box and plummetting through the air. I activated my quirk automatically, landing in a rolling stop in the arena grass. Coming up to my feet, I darted over to Izuku's side, scanning his mangled hands and broken legs. He had burns running up his arms and face, and there was blood dripping from the back of his skull. He looked half dead, and far beyond Recovey Girl's healing capabilities. Clenching my jaw, I reached forward and carefully tapped his cheek.

He vanished in a burst of steam, as my quirk worked to heal every inch of bruised and broken skin at once, repairing his bones and numbing all the pain. After a few seconds, all of his injuries were healed, and Izuku's eyes fluttered open as wreathes of steam floated away from his skull.

Hands on my hips, I glared at him sternly. "I s-said h-help him," I scolded. "N-not create a w-weapon of m-mass d-destruction."

Izuku blinked at me blearily for a moment, before smiling at me. "But I did it, right?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, y-you did," I agreed, offering him my hand. He took it, and I dragged him to his feet. Izuku rolled his shoulders uncomfortably, and I nodded knowingly. "B-burn injuries always f-feel w-weird," I told him.

"LOOKS LIKE KUROSAKI HAS JUMPED IN TO HEAL HER CLASSMATES!" Present Mic screamed, and I glanced up at him irritably. There wasn't a match going on anymore, his commentary wasn't needed. Unfortunately, the cameras had already focused in on me when I dropped into the arena, so everyone was watching anyways. "TALK ABOUT EFFECIENCY! SHE HAD MIDORIYA FIXED UP IN SECONDS!"

Izuku looked over at me. "Are you going to heal Todoroki too?"

"D-do I h-have to?" I questioned, because I had jumped down when I saw Izuku looking half-dead, and Todoroki was still standing.

Izuku looked at his hands thoughtfully. "Well, I might have broken a few of his ribs when I punched him," he considered. I huffed in exasperation, knowing that meant Izuku wanted me to heal him, and if I refused I would get a big speech in response. Sprinting up the demolish remains of the stage, I made my way over to Todoroki. He looked at me oddly, but there was blood trickling down the side of his neck, so I decided that I'd not leave this one to Recovery Girl either. Standing on my tiptoes, I poked Todoroki's cheek.

I then immediately turned my back on him, trying to keep myself from blushing. Todoroki was not properly dressed right now, and that was _not_ okay! "Y-you sh-should b-b-be fine n-now," I stuttered, and rushed back towards Izuku before he could respond. Snatching Izuku's wrist, I tugged him towards the tunnel, trying to get out of the arena and avoid listening to Present Mic's commentary ("WAS THAT A BLUSH?!"). I glared at Izuku over my shoulder. "I h-hope y-you're happy," I grumbled.

Izuku smiled, but his eyes were far away. "I am, but…" he looked down sadly. "I wish I had won."

"Th-there are p-prizes b-better than medals," I told him, squeezing his wrist reassuringly. "Y-you j-just changed Todoroki's l-life for th-the better. If y-you w-want to be a h-hero," I grinned at him. "Th-that means w-way more th-than a s-silly medal, and y-you still have n-next y-year."

Izuku nodded slowly, then glanced at me contemplatively. "What did you mean by 'a weapon of mass destruction'?" He asked. "Todoroki isn't a tool."

"I know," I huffed, letting go of his wrist to cross my arms. "B-but now, n-not only c-can h-he create fiery hell," I complained. "H-he c-can freeze it over t-too!" Izuku laughed, sounding pretty startled, and I grinned despite myself. "N-now, why don't y-you g-go back up and r-rejoin everyone? M-my match is n-next, s-so I'll just w-wait it out h-here."

"Yeah," Izuku agreed, smiling back at me. "I'll see you after, okay? I hope you win."

I gave him a thumbs up. "K-kick Kacchan's but, g-got it!" Izuku laughed again, taking off down the tunnel. As soon as he rounded the corner, I sighed in relief. I lowered myself to the floor, taking off my new jacket and bunching up it's sleeve, shoving it into my mouth.

I hadn't used my quirk for too long, so the gap in between the matches would be enough time to cool off before I fought Bakugo.


	19. Episode 19: A Long Time Coming!

**我田引水**

 ** _gaden insui_**

 **pulling water to my own rice paddy/ doing or speaking about things in a way to benefit yourself.**

"IT'S TIME FOR OUR LAST MATCH BEFORE THE FINAL!" Present Mic announced. Taking that as my que, I started out of the tunnel, and the crowd erupted to into cheers. I scanned the audience as I climbed the stairs, searching for my friends. My eyes widened as I spotted Todoroki sitting next to Izuku in the Class A box - in my seat. He met my stare evenly. I huffed irritably, turning my gaze firmly back to the stage. "Half n' Half Bastard" indeed. Even more fitting would be "Chair Thief."

Bakugo stared me down from across the stage, looking oddly calm. He was determined to beat me, I realized. That wasn't irrational anger speaking, that was solid resolve. I set my jaw, clenching my fists. I would give him the fight he wanted.

"After the last match, it might be a little hard to measure up, but Kurosaki has been doing a great job surprising us so far!" Present Mic commented, and the crowd cheered. "Now, it's KATSUKI BAKUGO VERSUS ICHIGO KUROSAKI! Are you all ready?! 'Cause I'm on the edge of my seat!" The roar of the crowd grew louder. I raised my chin, meeting Bakugo's stare with my own challenge. I saw his eyes spark in response. "Well then, STAAART!"

Bakugo flew across the stage immediately, propelled by his explosions. I dropped to the floor as he shot overhead, but Bakugo quickly changed directions, attempting to pull the same move he used on Izuku during the Battle Trials: blind me with his first attack, then land an explosion on my back. Recognizing the pattern, I rolled forward blindly, dodging the secondary attack. I spun as I did so, and Bakugo landed in the spot I'd originally been standing.

I narrowed my eyes. This wasn't good, because Bakugo was controlling the pace of the battle. If I wanted to have even a chance at winning, I need to control the speed and movements of the fight - which would be difficult, because in an open area like this Bakugo had much more mobility than I did. I needed to put pressure on him, I needed to do something he wouldn't expect, I needed… I grinned, and slid my foot back, changing my battle stance.

I needed to change my fighting style.

Bakugo catapulted himself forward again, this time lower to the ground. He didn't want to give me room to dodge, and that was fine. Because instead of rolled backwards, I sidestepped and sucker-punched Bakugo in the face.

"FUCK!" Bakugo cussed, barely managed to right himself. I grinned savagely, ignoring the icky feeling of blood slipping between my fingers. Bakugo straightened, glaring at me hatefully as he wiped the blood from his broken nose.

I copied my stance again, low to the ground, legs spread for stability, and hands up. This was a boxing stance, very different from my usually mobile style. I couldn't move faster than Bakugo, so there was no point in trying. Instead, I'd allow him to fly around, and defend myself where I was standing, slipping into any openings he allowed. I could see in Bakugo's eyes that he understood the situation - if he tried to fly around like he usually did, I'd match him with my reflexes, wearing him down slowly. With my quirk, the longer the fight lasted, the better my chances.

"KUROSAKI HAS DRAWN FIRST BLOOD!" Present Mic screamed. "SHE'S FALLEN BACK ON GOOD 'OL FASHIONED STREET FIGHTING!"

Bakugo lowered his hand. "So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" He said. "I'll try a trick, and you'll fuck it up?"

"As b-best I can," I retorted cheekily, grinning at him brightly.

He narrowed his eyes, unamused. "Fine then," he growled. "No tricks." My eyes widened as he ran in close, hands open and raised. He got into arms reach, and extended his arm in a mock-punch, trying to set a bomb off in my face. Slipping to the outside of his punch, I swatted it upwards and away, the explosion sparking between his fingers ruffling my hair. I aimed a hook for his side, but he stepped away, dodging and aiming another weaponized punch towards my head.

Our fight tranformed into a fist fight, both of us throwing punches and kicks as we circled eachother, staying in close and allowing no chances to escape. We both landed several hits, Bakugo managing to burn my side with an explosive punch, while I bruised his ribs with a kick. We moved back and forth across the battle area, and at some point I realized I was smiling for real. Just like my fight with Kirishima, I was having fun. And Bakugo didn't look near as grumpy as usual either.

I was hit with a sudden epiphany: I _liked_ fighting.

I was so startled by this realization, that Bakugo managed to land an uppercut to my jaw, sending me tumbling backwards. The crowd cheered, and I extended my hands, ignoring the stars in my eyes and falling into a back-handspring. My feet landed on the boundary line, and I almost sighed in relief I hadn't landed an inch more back.

Bakugo was out of breath as well. "Don't get distracted, _Ichimi_ ," he snarked. "Scared I'm going to pull on your damn pigtails too fucking hard, _princess_?"

I giggled in surprise at my newest nickname. "P-princess?" I repeated. "And y-you'd h-have to actually g-get close enough t-to p-pull my 'pigtails'." I returned to my fighting stance, waiting for Bakugo to attack again.

He took the invitation, charging forwards, and I changed the battle all over again. Bakugo had been expecting another fist fight, so I switched to my first, more agile style, dropping down and sweeping Bakugo's feet out from under him. He jumped over my leg, so I popped up, using his arm to throw him over my shoulder and past the boundary line. I let go of his arm as he flew towards the ground.

Bakugo stopped himself from hitting the ground outside the boundary with an explosion. Hovering over the line, he turned himself midair, aiming a kick towards my head. I could see his eyes widen as he realized his mistake. I raised my arms, ready to take his kick and use it to send him spinning over the line, when I stopped. I had entered this fight knowing I didn't want to battle Todoroki. If I beat Bakugo now, I would be guaranteeing Todoroki's victory, and setting myself up for a world of futile pain. If I dropped out during the final round, the agency would get pissed. Meaning my only option here… was to lose.

I let Bakugo's kick hit me. I caught air, and I could almost hear my ribs creak as I landed over the boundary. Bakugo landed, red eyes wide in disbelief, as the crowd cheered it's approval.

"... Bakugo wins..." Present Mic muttered over the intercom, sounding disappointed. There was a loud smacking sound shortly thereafter.

I climbed to my feet unsteadily, activating my quirk and just as quickly deactivating it, inhaling sharply as my ribs snapped back into place. My entire body ached, my joints popped with every movement, and my ears felt like they were stuffed with cottonballs. I had finally overloaded my nervous system, it seemed. I teetered off stage, missing Bakugo's heated stare entirely, or how Recovery Girl walked up behind him, fixing his nose.

I shuffled through the tunnel, mind already mapping the way to hospital within the arena. I single-mindedly plodded over to the nurses office, limping down the halls until I spotted the door with a red cross over it. Opening the door, I slammed it shut behind me, tottering towards the medicene cabinet. Scrambling through the pills bottles, I clutched the painkillers I'd been looking for desperately, twisting the bottle open with shaking hands and popping four pills. I tossed the bottle back in the cabinet, barely coherent enough to half-way cover my tracks, and then fell back onto one of the empty hospital beds.

I was just starting to feel my muscles loosen as the odd, unpleasant numbness set in, when the door was slammed open. It crashed against the wall, as Bakugo stormed into the room with sparking fists. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO THROW THE FUCKING FIGHT!" He screamed.

"I didn't," I groaned from the bed, not bothering to open my eyes. I was too tired and high on pain meds to feel nervous or stutter.

"You didn't?" Bakugo repeated disbelievingly, growing angrier. "You let me fucking kick you, damnit!"

I sighed tiredly. "Bakugo, I need you to understand something," I forced myself to sit up, leaning against the wall behind the bed. My head sagged to the side anyways. "My quirk doesn't block pain." The blonde froze, seeming to realize what I was insinuating. "After the past few fights, I overloaded my nervous system. I can't fight anyone right now without doing permanant damage to my body," I continued, eyes closing. "Out of the both of us, you had the best chance of beating Todoroki, and if I'd dropped out of the final match, I'd risk losing my scholarship. It was a strategic decision," I grinned tiredly, opening my eyes. "Fighting you was pretty fun, actually. You're the best hand-to-hand fighter I've seen in the class."

Bakugo didn't look my in the eyes, turning his head away from me. "That's fucking bullshit," he started, and I started to slump in disappointment. "I expect another damn fight after this whole thing is over, got it?" I inhaled sharply, and Bakugo glared at me. "Got it?" He repeated.

I smiled again. "Got it," I agreed.

"I'm going to go beat Todoroki, get the damn gold medal, and then I'm going to fight you again," he continued. "And I'm going to win for real, and if you throw that fucking fight too, I'll send you straight into the fucking afterlife." I huffed out a quiet giggle, already starting to fall asleep, and Bakugo seemed to realize I wasn't going to talk anymore. Bakugo turned around, stalking back out the door. "And you didn't fucking suck either," he finished. My eyes opened halfway, watching him leave. I barely managed to smile, because that almost sounded like a compliment again.

Closing my eyes again, I decided to take a nap. No one knew where I was, anyways, and I didn't want to get woken up any time soon. My last thought, was that I hoped Mister Aizawa wouldn't be disappointed by my decision. I was relatively sure he'd understand anyways, we both knew that I wasn't going to beat Todoroki today.

* * *

 _I sat at the tiny dining table Grandmother had set up against the wall, quietly eating dinner. Grandmother always made American food, she said it made her feel closer to home. I pushed my peas around my plate with my fork, avoiding looking up at the old woman across the table._

 _"_ _Anmatsu, is something wrong?" Grandmother asked kindly. "You normally eat more."_

 _I bit my lip, placing my fork on the table, and hid my shaking hands in my lap. "N-no, mama." I lied nervously._

 _Grandmother clicked her tongue. "Don't try and fib with me, Anmatsu," she scolded, putting her own fork down. "What's going on that has you so upset?"_

 _I squirmed in my seat, wondering if I could even get an answer for this. "I-If I ever h-had k-kids, would you love them?" I whispered, staring at my clenched fists under the table._

 _Grandmother's eyes widened, and she gave a startled laugh. "Already considering grandkids, Anmatsu? You're a little ahead of the game," when I didn't raise my head, she sighed. "Of course I would. They would be my precious grandbabies, how could I not adore them?"_

 _"_ _Th-then," I looked up at her desperately, eyes watering. "Why d-don't y-you love m-me?" I begged._

 _Grandmother gasped. "I do love you!" She got up from her chair, quickly making her way around the table and hugging me tightly. "I love you so much, Anmatsu. Don't even doubt it for a second." She said fiercely. I only cried harder, sobbing into her arms, desperate for reassurance I couldn't find._


	20. Episode 20: Battle For Number One!

**一寸先は闇**

 ** _issun saki wa yami_**

 **It is dark one inch ahead of you. / Who can see the future?**

I woke up to a polite knock on the door. I instantly sat up, wondering where I was. Why was I in a bed? I hadn't slept in a bed in over a year, what was going on - I recognized the hospital room of the arena, and relaxed. I had taken a nap after my fight with Bakugo. Sighing in relief, I swung my feet to the floor, silently padding over to the door. My muscles still ached and my joints still groaned, but the pain was tolerable now, subdued by the painkillers and my short rest.

Rubbing one of my eyes blearily, I opened the door, wondering who had managed to find me. I realized I was looking at someone's stomach, and raised my head. Impassive heterochromatic eyes stared back down at me. I squeaked in surprise, instantly awake, and jumped backwards.

"U-uh, h-hey Todoroki!" I chirped uneasily. "W-what are y-you d-doing here?" Unconsciously, my feet shifted into a defensive position, as I automatically moved to protect myself.

Todoroki's gaze shifted off to the side, and he almost looked as uncomfortable as I was. My eyes sharpened, because Todoroki had never looked affected by tension in the air before. Just what exactly had Izuku changed, by forcing Todoroki to use his fire abilities? Clearly, Izuku had a better understanding of the situation then I did, but then again, I was divining all of my knowledge from three sentences.

After an awkward silence, Todoroki spoke. "Midoriya told me you knew about my… situation," he said slowly and carefully.

"Y-yeah," I confirmed. "I'm n-not g-going to b-blab, if that's w-what you're w-worried about."

Todoroki finally looked at me again. "Good," he said. I waited for him to speak again tensely, because surely that wasn't why he had gone through the trouble of hunting me down.

When a full minute had passed in silence, I got impatient. "I-is th-there a reason y-you came h-here?" I pushed, observing Todoroki carefully.

"You threw your fight with Bakugo," he pointed out abruptly. "Why?"

I looked at him oddly. That was why he had come searching for me? "Th-that r-really isn't any of y-your business," I said curtly. "B-but I kn-knew I couldn't b-beat you, with both y-your f-fire and ice t-together, so I l-let Bakugo win c-cause he actually h-had a shot." It technically wasn't a lie… it just wasn't the full truth either.

"I'm not going to use my fire again yet," Todoroki informed me. "You were willing to lose because this is just a competition. I wanted to understand your reasons, before I entered the final match," he paused oddly, before turning around. "Thank you."

My eyes widened in disbelief, before narrowing in anger. He wanted to understand my reasons, before throwing his match as well. First of all, Bakugo was going to blow a gasket. Second, that was ridiculous. "Y-your mother isn't d-dead, right?" I asked suddenly.

Todoroki froze immediately. "Yes," he answered coldly, the temperature in the room lowering several degrees as he grew more angry. I didn't care, because this needed to be said.

"D-do you th-think sh-she's watching you right n-now?" I inquired calmly, staring at the floor and not Todoroki's angry expression. I was treading on thin ice here.

"There are televisions in the hospital," Todoroki not-answered. I decided that counted as a "yes", and continued speaking.

"I g-get that your f-father s-sucks," I started, valiantly ignoring Todoroki's furious face. "B-but y-your mother cares f-for you still, and if sh-she's watching, if I were y-you, I w-would w-want to make her p-proud of me," I took a deep breath, as Todoroki's anger melted into confusion. "I'll n-never get to know m-my p-parents, b-but I wish I c-could know if th-they were proud of m-me," I was saying more than I should, so I ended my speech quickly. "S-so, don't screw th-this up for y-yourself."

Todoroki stared at me, looking rather lost. I'd clearly just crushed whatever twisted resolve he'd had to throw the final. "You're an orphan," he said finally. I nodded in confirmation. Todoroki visibly hesitated, before responding. "I'll consider what you have to say," he compromised. I nodded again, relieved I had gotten that off my chest. Whatever decision Todoroki made from here, I had done my part. Todoroki turned to leave again, but the door was slammed open in a familiar manner.

"HALF N' HALF BASTARD!" Bakugo roared, leg extended from kicking the door open. He was practically breathing fire in his fury. I could imagine steam pouring from his ears. "THE DAMN MATCH STARTS IN FIVE MINUTES, SO STOP WASTING TIME FUCKING AROUND WITH ICHIMI AND GET READY!" He ordered imperiously, before rounding on me, jabbing a finger in my face. "And you! You aren't missing my fucking fight after you fucked up the last damn one! Get your ass out to the box!" His piece spoken, the blonde stormed back out the doorway, closing it heavily behind him.

I blinked in shock. "Wh-what…?" I said finally, unsure who I was asking. "Why d-do I h-have t-to watch…?"

Todoroki walked out the door calmly. "It's probably best you don't attempt to understand him," he answered, unperturbed by the screaming blonde's interference. He turned around, holding the door open. "Are you coming?"

"Ah, s-sure," I agreed, rushing out the door. I was on better terms with Bakugo right now, and didn't want to screw that up by avoiding his watching his match. I tried to escape down the hall quickly, but was stopped by Todoroki.

"Wait," he said, and I paused, glancing back over my shoulder mid-step. "You… aren't weak."

I looked at him oddly. "Y-yeah," I agreed. I was pretty confident about my fighting abilities, with Mister Aizawa as my teacher.

"Is Bakugo easily frustrated?" Todoroki asked, meeting my gaze evenly.

I grinned. He was going to try and win! "If y-you kn-know what buttons t-to push," I answered, before adding, "H-he wants t-to w-win 'for real.'"

"Thank you," Todoroki said, nodding his head. He turned around sharply, walking back down the hall. I watched him round the corner, before facing forwards again, and starting towards the student seating box. I had a feeling this was a match I was going to enjoy.

* * *

When I finally reached the Class A box, I was beginning to feel fatigued again. I opened the door to the seating area, feeling slightly out of breath, only to recoil at the sudden sound of clapping. My classmates were _clapping_ and looking towards me, so I froze, scanning the area around and above me for why they were cheering.

Kirishima stood up and ruffled my hair, grinning from ear to ear. "Your match with Bakugo was awesome!" He complimented, flexing one of his arms. "You both were so manly! I need more practice to keep up with you."

"Yeah!" Ashido agreed, bouncing up as well. She leaned in, yellow eyes gleaming, and I leaned back automatically, resisting the temptation to defend my personal space violently. "You're the strongest girl in the class, it's super cool! I really hope you get third place!" She elbowed me in a friendly manner, winking. "One of us needs to get up on that podium, right?"

I shrugged, feeling a bit awkward. "H-honestly, I d-don't want a m-medal. I d-don't n-need an internship offer, s-so it's b-better if Izuku g-gets th-third p-place," I explained, waving at Izuku casually through the window of space between Ashido and Kirishima's legs. His green eyes were wide in shock.

"Geez, Kurosaki," Sero laughed, scratching the back of his head. He stood up next to Ashido. "You're way too nice. Leave a little glory for the rest of us, yeah?"

I blinked in confusion. "...W-what?" I looked to Kirishima for an answer.

The redhead laughed. "He means you're way to selfless," Kirishima explained. "Most of us would love to have third place, and you're saying you'd rather give it to someone who needs it."

"B-but Izukun d-does n-need it more th-than I do," I pointed out, not understanding what Kirishima meant. Wasn't the objective of a hero to be selfless anyways?

All three of the other students laughed, before Kirishima said, "Nevermind. We'll stop holding you up here, Kurosaki. The next match is about to start anyways." Ruffling my hair one last time, Kirishima headed back to his seat. I huffed in irritation, raising my hands up to rearrange my bangs as I headed to my own spot.

Sitting between Ochako and Izuku, I smiled. "H-hey guys!" I cheered. "Excited f-for th-the fight?"

"Of course!" Tenya agreed, leaning past Izuku to see me as his glasses flashed. "And I must say, your fight with Bakugo was most impressive!"

Ochako grinned. "It really was! I'm kind of disappointed you didn't win, actually. I tried doing what you said during my own match, not releasing all the rubble at once, but I didn't have enough control," she laughed light-heartedly. "His reaction when you let him hit you was great though!"

"I j-just have more p-practice," I assured Ochako. "I-if you d-drill y-your abilities, you'll get m-more control," I told her.

Izuku added his own input. "The way you manipulated the pace and style of the fight was really cool. You made a big impression on everyone, especially since you didn't use your quirk," his words were complimentary, but his eyes were concerned. I swallowed, focusing on the arena below. I had a feeling Izuku was on to my quirk's functions. Bakugo respected my strength and ability enough to shut up and not interfere with me using my quirk. Izuku wouldn't let me heal him, if he knew the price.

"I g-guess," I agreed, not making eye contact with him.

Meanwhile, the jumbotrons were switching on again, and the audience was growing quieter, as people awaited the start of the final round. Present Mic's face appeared on the big-screens, pointed sunglasses flashing.

"Hey listeners! Are you ready for the final showdown?!" He pointed finger guns at the camera as the crowd roared its approval. "I don't know if I could hear you well enough. I said, ARE! YOU! READY?!" The audience cheered even louder, as people stomped their feet, clapped, hooted, hollered, and whistled. I covered my ears, because all the clamour was hurting my hearing. "GREAT! In the running for the top spots, we have Shouto Todoroki, Katsuki Bakugo, Izuku Midoriya, and Ichigo Kurosaki! The winner of this match will get first place, and their previous opponent will get third. EVERYBODY GET IT?!" The crowd cheered, and Present Mic raised his arms. "THEN LETS! GET! STARTED!"

The flames on the stage shot high into the air, as the jumbotrons switched over to show Todoroki and Bakugo exiting the tunnels. Bakugo had his fists already closed, eyes lit with bloodlust. He wanted to win, and he wanted to win absolutely. I grinned, because now that I knew him better, I could understand his motivation. Bakugo wanted to win on his own merit, to prove that he was the best. He didn't want handouts, and he wouldn't cheat. It was a twisted code of honor, but I could respect it nonetheless.

Todoroki was harder to read. He looked calm and relaxed, but his eyes were filled with cold determination again, like at the beginning of the Sports Festival. However, unlike before, this time he was focused. At the start of the festival, Todoroki was like an avalanche, an angry storm of ice and hatred, indiscriminately freezing anyone that got in the way of his war-path. He looked different now, more centered and less enraged.

The camera's zoomed in on their faces, as the entire arena held its breath, waiting for the signal. After a few seconds, Present Mic's voice cut through silence. "START!" He barked, and immediately half the arena was swallowed by a small glacier. The audience gasped loudly.

Todoroki leaned forwards, watching the ice intently. With every second, there was a repetitive booming noise that was growing louder and louder. As Bakugo tunneled his way out of the ice, I moved to the edge of my seat, wondering what Todoroki's strategy was. Did he plan to exhaust Bakugo? If he used his fire, Todoroki could probably outlast Bakugo, but it didn't seem like his style.

There was a final, resounding explosion, and Bakugo broke free of the ice. His hands were smoking, as the last peices of ice fell to his feet. He narrowed his eyes and Todoroki, and then flew forwards. His hands grasped Todoroki's head and shoulder on his left side, using his momentum to send the heterochromatic boy flying. Todoroki went soaring towards the boundary line, but he compensated with his ice, using the frozen water as a ramp and surfing back into bounds. Bakugo lunged forward again, and Todoroki redirected his explosion with his left hand… but didn't use his fire.

Bakugo landed back in the center of the arena, hands popping with tiny explosions as he practically shook with anger. "DON'T LOOK DOWN ON ME!" The blonde screamed, and I could read his lips on screen. I looked at Todoroki's eyes, and grinned. He had just successfully pissed Bakugo off, and now he had to use the blonde's anger to push him into irrationality. Bakugo flung himself towards Todoroki, aiming for his left side.

As soon as he got close enough, Todoroki lit himself on fire. Bakugo changed course immediately, but Todoroki had timed his attack perfectly. The blonde flew over Todoroki's head, unable to attack at his current angle and speed. Having equalized his temperature again, Todoroki turned the arena into an icy bowl, raising the sides a few feet up for his own convenience. Bakugo hit the icy and slid backwards, clearly having trouble keeping from slipping. On the jumbotrons, his breath was visible, as he pushed himself to his feet and tried to compensate for his tactical mistake. He'd put too much power into his last attack, letting go of his major advantage of having more control than his opponent.

"Todoroki's disarming Kacchan by lowering the temperature," Izuku noted, scrawling away in his notebook. "The less he sweats, the less powerful Kacchan is, and his last few attacks have probably used up ammo too."

I shook my head, grinning widely. "Y-you're t-too short sighted, Izukun. Th-the most impressive th-thing about T-Todoroki's quirk is that h-he c-can directly control th-the battlefield. H-he pissed off Bakago b-by not using h-his f-fire, and waited f-for an opening," I pointed at the battle field, which was growing colder and colder with every passing second. "N-not only is h-he l-limiting Bakago's power, h-he's creating an environment th-that benefits him, and puts Bakago at a d-disadvantage."

This time, Todoroki rushed Bakugo, having no trouble running on his own ice. Bakugo flung himself into the air, dodging Todoroki initial attack, but Todoroki made no efforts to use his ice to follow Bakugo, just letting the air get colder and dogging Bakugo, who dodged Todoroki from above, trying his best to fling aerial attacks the heterochromatic teen's way.

After several minutes, you could see them both running out of stamina. Todoroki was fairing better than his opponent, but his strategy required that he not warm himself up and risk Bakugo being able to generate more sweat, so he was beginning to slow down from the effects of his own ice. Bakugo was off even worse. With the several feet thick coating of ice on the ground, he couldn't land without slipping or falling, and every second he spent in the air, the blonde used sweat that he wasn't capable of reproducing due to the cold.

In a last ditch attempt to finish the fight before he ran out of power, Bakugo used his explosions to fly over Todoroki's head. Todoroki, now slowed by the frost spreading up his right side, wasn't fast enough to dodge the heavy explosion Bakugo aimed at his back, using the last of the blonde's power. The force of the explosion sent Todoroki to the ground, skidding across the surface of the ice towards the edge of the icy bowl. But the curved edges of the carefully shaped arena served their purpose. Todoroki slid back into safety, rolling to his feet. He stood up on the ice slowly, panting from exhaustion. Every breath was visible.

On the other side of the arena, Bakugo pushed himself up onto his feet much more unsteadily. Regaining his footing, the blonde glared at Todoroki angrily. His hands didn't spark, as he was clearly too low on power to compensate.

With enough distance between them, Todoroki smirked, and the frost climbing up his clothes dissipated. He didn't use his left side for long, but it was enough to solve the speed deficit from earlier. Bakugo seethed, but everyone in the arena understood what had just happened. This was game over.

Todoroki ran forward again, aiming a punch at Bakugo's head. Bakugo managed to duck under, throwing his own blow towards Todoroki's side. Todoroki glided to the side, skating away from the fist and kicking Bakugo in the side. The blonde tried to defend himself, redirecting the kick, but the ice under his feet destabilized him, and he slipped to the ground. In an instant, he was covered in an icy shell. There was a moment of silence, as everyone waited to see if Bakugo could break free of his prison. Todoroki didn't relax his guard, holding himself ready, just in case the blonde had any surprises.

After several seconds, Present Mic's voice rang through the stadium. "TODOROKI WINS! ALL OF THE MATCHES ARE OVER! THE WINNER OF THIS YEAR'S YUUEI FRESHMAN TOURNAMENT IS…" Present Mic paused for drama, but everyone knew what he was going to say. "CLASS A'S SHOUTO TODOROKI!"

The audience erupted, standing up on their feet and roaring their approval. Today's tournament had been one of the greatest Yuuei Sports Festivals ever, and it had been in the Freshman category. I cheered with everyone else, but I wasn't really sure if I was happy or not with Todoroki's victory.

I turned to Izuku, grinning toothily. "Looks l-like you get th-third place!" I chirped happily. Izuku smiled back widely, practically vibrating with excitement. Ochako squealed, overjoyed, and hugged Izuku tightly. Izuku's face turned red as a tomato immediately, and I started giggling at his expression. I turned towards Tenya, wondering what he thought, and paused. Tenya's seat was empty, and by the lack of an impression of a body on the cushions, had been empty for a while. I frowned, knowing that Tenya wouldn't have missed the final match on a whim. What had happened that made him leave in the middle of the final round?

I didn't have time to play detective further, because Kirishima was pounding me on the back. "Congrats, Kurosaki! You got fourth place!" He cheered.

I grinned back at him. "Y-yeah! B-better than I th-thought I'd do!" I agreed, bouncing onto my feet. We'd have the prize ceremony soon, so I celebrated Class A's major achievement in the Sports Festival with my classmates - we held all four of the top spots! - and tried not to worry about Tenya any further. He'd have told Izuku, Ochako, and I about the situation if it was emergency, I told myself.

I was pulled into a group hug by Ochako, and I forgot about everything beyond my friends and celebrating.

* * *

I stood in the center of the now cleared field. The concrete battle area had been removed, and replaced by four circular stages, at varying heights, set up in a square shape. At the highest, with a large "#1" painted on, was Todoroki, who endured the cheering of the audience with his usual stoicism. A few feet lower, Bakugo stood with his hands shoved into his pockets grumpily, glaring at his feet and radiating an aura of hatred. Todoroki appeared unaffected by the blonde planning his murder a few feet away.

On the third highest cylinder podium, Izuku was beaming. His smile was so wide it practically split his face, and his cheeks were flushed excitement. His head was spinning as he scanned the crowd, waving back at Ochako in the Class A box. The brunette was waving back at him twice as furiously. I covered my mouth to hide my giggle at their behaviour.

I was standing on the last and lowest stage, in front of Todoroki's high platform and between Bakugo and Izuku. I wasn't all that bothered by placing fourth. I was content with the fact I'd come out of this competition with a better understanding of Bakugo, a new love of fighting, and not-terrified of Todoroki. I felt noticeably more comfortable in my own skin, so when I smiled and laughed at Izuku and Ochako's obvious crushes on each other, it didn't feel forced. I honestly felt comfortable under the cameras and eyes of millions, and it was wonderful.

"IT'S NOW TIME TO GIVE OUT THE MEDALS!" Midnight announced over the intercom through the tiny microphone I could barely see taped to her cheek. "AND THE ONE WHO'LL PRESENT THE MEDALS THIS YEAR IS NONE OTHER THAN OUR HERO…" She raised her arms dramatically. "ALL MIGHT!"

All Might came flying down from the top of the stadium, doing several flips as he fell. He landed just as Midnight finished speaking, in a large puff of dirt. He was wearing a read, white, and blue costume, and as soon as he stood, he loomed over me, despite the fact I was standing on a stage. My giggles died, as my instinctive fear of loud and booming things set in. I had gotten used to the cameras, which I couldn't see and couldn't hear. I was not used to All Might. In contrast, Izuku became ten times more excited, which I wasn't even aware was possible.

"I AM HERE!" All Might announced, hands on his hips. The crowd became impossibly louder, cheering for the number one hero. As All Might gathered the medals in his hands and approached me, I shivered in fear. My eyes grew wide, and I clearly wasn't doing a good job hiding my new terror, because All Might placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. I had to fight to keep from falling over at the weight. The hero had to lean over to pat my shoulder as well, since I barely reached mid-thigh high on him. "Young Kurosaki, you have performed extremely well. It wasn't too long ago you were timid girl afraid of showing off her new costume," I swallowed in disbelief, surprised that All Might himself had noticed and even cared about my anxiety surrounding my costume the first time I'd met him. "I'm excited to see how you improve. Congratulations," he hung the bronze medal for fourth place around my neck, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

I toyed with the metal disc hung around my neck in wonder. Just like all the other Pro Heroes, All Might had a charisma that allowed him to dispose of fear with ease. I watched him hang the third place medal around Izuku's neck, eyes widening when the hero hugged the green haired boy. Izuku was tearing up, wiping his eyes and grinning triumphantly.

When All Might reached Bakugo, however, he found more difficulty. The blonde snatched the silver medal out of the hero's hands, refusing to wear it. He clutched it in his fist instead. "I'm going to win next time," he growled warningly, and instead of being afraid, I grinned at the thought. Competing with Bakugo next year would surely be entertaining.

Todoroki accepted his gold medal much more easily. He looked at peace with himself for once, not once glancing in Endeavor's direction, even as the Flame Hero roared his approval with the rest of the audience. Todoroki was actually blatantly ignoring his father, and I found myself giggling again.

This had been a good day, I decided. As Present Mic and Mister Aizawa entered the field to shake hands with the winners, along with Cementoss, Midnight, and the other heroes who'd helped host the competition. I met Mister Aizawa's eyes from across the grass, and he nodded his head once approvingly.

The smile that spread across my face was the brightest I'd ever had.


	21. Episode 21: New Motivations!

**まさかの時の友こそ真の友**

 ** _Masakanotokinotomokosomanotomo_**

 **A friend in need is a friend indeed**

Just because I was off the streets didn't mean I was out of trouble. During my several months living as a homeless child on the run, I had found out several flaws in my plan to disappear forever. The main problem being that plenty of teenagers thought they could make a name for themselves by bullying defenseless homeless people. I was against this idea, and whenever I saw a gang of "cool kids" looking to build themselves a reputation, would stand in the way. As a result, I had a few… enemies.

One of these enemies included a gang of teenagers who roamed the alleys near Missus Yukihime's shop, known as the Crushed Cans. They had never forgiven me after a week into my training with Mister Aizawa, I had refused to give them my money and dislocated their leader's shoulder. Every chance they had, they tried to run me down and beat me up. Naturally, I used all of my acrobatic skill to evade them.

Like now.

"GET BACK HERE YOU BITCH!" Someone screamed. I glanced over my shoulder to see the boy with a spiky purple mohawk trip over a trash-can lid and fall face first into the ground. My three other pursuers didn't bother to help him up, instead chasing after me more vigorously. I picked up speed as well, using my hyper-trained footwork to step over piles of trash and rubble as I led the Crushed Cans through the network of alleyways I had called home for months.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Another teen called. This one had red dyed hair (much uglier than Kirishima's) and a crooked nose. "WE'RE GONNA GET YOU!"

Hopping on-top of a dumpster, I used it as a platform to leap onto a window sill, running along the series of windows towards the open street where I could hide in the crowd. I narrowed my eyes in frustration as I ran, ducking a brick that smashed into the wall over my head. Despite being much stronger and more skilled than the wanna-be gangsters following me, I couldn't just turn around and beat them up. Yesterday's sports festival had taken a lot out of me, and as a student of Yuuei Academy, being seen pummeling teenage punks was bad. Very bad.

Jumping off the last window sill, I turned around mid-air. I sent the "gangsters" a peace sign, grinning victoriously at how far behind they were. "Y-YOUR N-NAME IS STILL S-STUPID!" I hollered at them, before concealing myself in the gaggle of school-girls walking by. They were so busy talking, they barely even noticed I was there. I sighed in relief, knowing that if I followed these girls for a few more blocks, I'd reach asylum in the flower shop.

Unfortunately, the Crushed Cans were feeling more idiotic than usual. They came charging into the street, apparently still determined to track me down. My eyes widened, and I frantically scanned the area around me for a safe place - I spotted a familiar set of bangs, color split neatly down the middle. Across the street, Shouto Todoroki had his head hidden by his hoodie, staring at his phone.

I rushed over to him. "H-hey Todoroki!" I chirped, deciding that he was the lesser of two evils. I'd take intimidation over possible suspension any day. "M-mind if I w-walk w-with you for a b-bit?" I requested, hoping he wouldn't comment on my disheveled clothing.

"Fine," Todoroki agreed shortly, barely glancing up from his phone. I smiled happily, continuing to search the area around me in case the Crushed Cans noticed where I was. They were currently futilely trying to spot me in the opposite direction I had walked, so I was relatively sure I was safe as long I walked ahead of Todoroki. "Why are you being chased?" Todoroki observed dully.

I grinned sheepishly, not really wanting to answer that question. "I h-had a c-conflict of interests w-with s-some people," I not-answered, adding under my breath, " _If you can call stealing 'interest._ '"

"Stealing?" Todoroki repeated, looking up from his phone screen. I squeaked in surprise, because apparently I wasn't as quiet as I thought I was.

I waved my hands frantically. "I-it's fine, I've l-lost th-them anyways," I rushed as we turned the street corner. Todoroki shrugged, returning to his phone. I fidgeted awkwardly, wondering if I should say something or leave him alone. "So… w-where are y-you going?"

"To visit my mother," He answered curtly.

I blinked in shock. "Oh," I tugged on my braids, now feeling even more uncomfortable. "W-what hospital is sh-she in?" I asked finally.

"Hirahara Medical Center," Todoroki said, stopping in front of a crosswalk.

I halted as well. "R-really? Th-that's actually aross th-the street f-from w-where I'm going," I remarked. Missus Yukihime's flower shop was down the street from the Hirahara Medical Center, it was how she got many of her customers. People usually wanted to buy flowers for their sick friends or family. And now that I had thought of it… "Are y-you g-going to get your m-mother flowers?" Todoroki glanced at me like I was crazy. "S-seriously, she'd probably l-love it if you did," I told him.

He started across the street without answering me, and I hurried to keep up with him. My shortness was so frustrating at times like this! After several, long moments of silence, Todoroki responded. "... My mother liked arranging flowers when I was younger."

I grinned brightly. "P-perfect, then I know w-what t-to do! Follow me!" It was my turn to hurry ahead of him, and Todoroki followed me as I crossed two more streets and turned left at the block opposite of the Hirahara Medical Center. Missus Yukihime's shop was fit in between a ramen bar and a beauty salon, which I had taken food/hygiene items from before I had money. Ignoring the alluring smell of pork ramen wafting from the restaurant, I tugged open the glass door of the shop, ignoring the familiar tinkle of the bell. I glanced over my shoulder at Todoroki, who was standing behind me and staring into the store awkwardly. "C-come in!" I said expectantly, holding the door open.

Missus Yukihime peeked her head out from the back. She looked between Todoroki and I. "A friend?" She asked, evidently wondering who I had dragged into her shop and why.

I glanced over at Todoroki, who was focused on the flower displays, not really sure how to answer that question. "S-sort of," I said finally. "W-we'll be out of h-here s-soon, d-dock this from m-my pay, okay?" Missus Yukihime nodded, returning to her small office in the back of the store (which I wasn't allowed in without permission). I stepped towards Todoroki, who still wasn't paying attention.

Getting onto my tip-toes, I barely managed to tap his shoulder, although it was really more of his back. He spun around immediately, and I decided not to question his defensive reaction. I really already knew why anyways.

"S-so, th-this is f-for your m-mother right? I assume y-you haven't visited her b-before?" I asked. Todoroki nodded, refusing to make eye-contact with me. I wanted to make a speech about how he should've visited her before this, but I decided that it was better he was at least making an effort now. "O-okay then, you'll w-want… p-pink carnations and w-white tulips. Th-that should b-be good," I thought aloud, trying to pick out the flowers with the correct meanings for the message I guessed Todoroki would want to convey.

Choices made, I strode over to the tulip display in the corner, turning the spinning rack around until I found the correct color bulbs. Plucking out six or seven white tulips, I then headed over to the carnation rack, finding the pink flowers. Missus Yukihime kept them well stocked, since they were very popular during the holidays for kids to give to their mothers. Tucking them into the bouquet intermittently, I turned back around, handing Todoroki the neat bundle of flowers. He took them, and then stared at them blankly.

I coughed to break the building awkward tension. "U-uh, g-give those to her, she'll like th-them," I said. Todoroki nodded, and I shifted from foot to foot. "Th-thanks for w-walking me here then. B-bye," I finished, rushing behind the counter.

Before I could finish fleeing into the back of the shop, Todoroki called out to me. "Wait," he interrupted. I froze, feeling an odd sense of deja vu. "... Thanks." he said finally.

"Y-you're welcome," I stammered, ducking my head to hide my flushed cheeks. "S-see you in s-school t-tomorrow," I said, escaping into the back of the store. The tinkle of the bell marked Todoroki's exit from the shop. I mentally wished him luck reconciling with his mother, and knocked on the door of Missus Yukihime's office.

"Come in!" She called through the white door. I slipped it open, poking my head inside. Missus Yukihime was sitting at her desk shoved up against the wall of her closet sized office. She didn't look up at me, shuffling through a pile of papers showing finance information for the shop. Briefly noting the numbers on the spreadsheets, my hands tugged on my braids nervously.

"I o-owe y-you four d-dollars, along w-with tonight's pay," I informed her quietly.

Missus Yukihime hummed in acknowledgment. "May I ask what that was about?"

"My c-classmate was going to v-visit his mother in the Hirahara M-Medical Center," I answered, being deliberately vague. I liked Missus Yukihime, but I'd only known her for a few months. I couldn't be sure she was trustworthy, especially with an instant claim to fame like Endeavor's wife being secretly hospitalized for years.

"Alright then. I'll dock tonight's pay, but you can keep the extra four dollars," Missus Yukihime declared, and I nodded. The clock on the wall ticked loudly for a few more seconds.

"Th-thank you," I finished finally, stepping out of the office. Missus Yukihime hummed again in acknowledgement, and I shut the door behind me. Moving into the backroom, where I slept, I sat down at the tiny table that doubled as my desk. Dropping my face into my hands, I groaned unintelligibly. Why was I so awkward? Why couldn't Todoroki be better at talking than me, like the rest of my friends? That would make this so much easier!

* * *

The next day, it was raining. I waited at the bus stop for my usual bus towards the school in misery. Missus Yukihime had loaned me an umbrella, but it was small and pink, and it made me look like even more of a child than usual. When the bus finally arrived, I rushed up the steps, being careful not to slip. Grabbing one of the bars in the back, because there were no open seats, I waited quietly for the vehicle to start. Looking out the window, I watched other people with raincoats and larger umbrellas rush from place to place in the downpour.

I felt a short tug on my jacket sleeve. I glanced downwards, and my eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a familiar baseball cap brim with a strawberry drawn on. The little redheaded girl from the Sports Festival grinned up at me joyfully, clearly ecstatic to see me again. "Morning, Miss Kurosaki!" She chirped.

I remembered her name immediately, feeling extremely grateful for my nearly perfect memory. "Good morning, Michi-chan," I greeted her calmly, smiling back. "What's up?"

"I'm going to school!" Michi informed me importantly. "This is the bus I usually take, and I saw you, so I told Mama -" she paused, eyes widening in realization, before turning to look down the bus aisle. "Mama! It _is_ Miss Kurosaki! I told you so!" She called triumphantly, before turning back to me. "- that I wanted to talk to you, and tell you that you did awesome!" She pumped her small fist, eyes shining. "You were so cool! I told Mama I'm gonna be a hero-princess just like you someday!"

I giggled, startled by her sudden, random declaration. "I'm not a hero quite yet, Michi-chan," I corrected. "Also, what makes you think I'm a 'hero princess'?" I asked amusedly.

"Well, that's what the Boom-Boom boy called you," Michi told me matter of factly. "And your hair is all pretty like a princess too!"

I laughed so hard I snorted at her new title for Bakugo, and then covered my mouth in surprise, eyes wide. I'd never snorted before. Finally, I reached down and patted Michi's head. I didn't have to reach very far, because I was disturbingly short. "I guess that works," I agreed. "I'll make sure to tell Boom-Boom boy about your new name for him, I think he'll like it."

"Really?" Michi begged, staring up at me with big blue eyes hopefully.

I nodded, unable to stop grinning despite how my cheeks hurt. "Really," I confirmed. "Now why don't you go sit with your mother again?"

"Okay, Miss Kurosaki!" Michi cheered, running back down the aisle. I saw her climb into her mother's lap, excitedly telling her about what I'd said. Still smiling to myself, I gripped the bar as the bus started moving, ignoring the mutters of the other passengers who recognized me from the Sports Festival as well. I loved talking to kids, and I loved not stuttering.

* * *

I arrived at school eight minutes before the bell. Leaving my shoes and umbrella in the foot-locker room, I headed up to Class 1-A, visiting the teachers' lounge on my way up to grab the attendance sheets. I had learned that if I didn't grab them before class, Mister Aizawa would only send me later to pick them up, because he was too lazy to do it himself.

Walking up the classroom in silence, I dropped the papers on Mister Aizawa's podium, and sat down at my desk. Izuku had yet to arrive, so I turned around to face Momo, who was early as well. The taller girl was staring at her hands on her desk in silence, looking oddly solemn.

I waved at her, grinning. "H-hey Momo!" I chirped.

Momo raised her head slowly. "Good morning, Ichigo," she mumbled, and my eyes widened in shock. That wasn't a normal greeting from the usually bubbly girl. I'd found through many conversations with Momo that her serious attitude only extended as far as the battlefield and school work. Any other time, she was excitable and happy, eager to start conversations about any intellectual topic, not sullen and mopey looking as she was now.

"A-are you upset about th-the Sports Festival?" I asked slowly, fearing her response. Would she be angry with me, because I had done well.

Momo steepled her hands together on her desk. "... Yes," she agreed finally. I shrunk, crushed by the thought one of my friends was upset with me for winning. Momo quickly realized, because her eyes widened. "Not at you!" She reassured me. "It's just… I lost so quickly. Tokoyami beat me so easily…" she clenched her jaw, and to my horror I saw her eyes tearing up. "I was so _weak_. He didn't even have to _try_."

I leaned forwards, grabbing her hands in a similar manner Ochako used when comforting me or Izuku. "T-Tokoyami has more c-combat e-experience than you. If I c-can make a s-suggestion?" Momo glanced up at me. "H-have you d-done any conditioning or d-drilling?"

"I've done some conditioning," Momo answered, voice becoming more stable. "I have also had training in hand-to-hand combat, but…" her shoulders slumped again. "It wasn't any use."

I grinned, having an idea. "H-have you ever l-learned how to sh-shoot a gun?" Momo's head popped up, looking surprised at my suggestions.

"I have not," she informed me.

"Th-then I suggest you g-get t-training on h-how to f-fire a handgun," I said. "And th-then d-drill creating it s-so many times you c-can m-make it in your s-sleep," I shrugged, letting go of her hands and leaning back in my chair. "That's w-what Mister Aizawa did f-for me, anyways. Oh! And if y-you can, learn h-how to wield a staff. Th-that's a versatile weapon, it's g-good f-for offense and defense," I nodded, confident with my suggestion. "Plus, it sh-should be easy to make."

Momo nodded, smiling sheepishly. "I suppose I should spend more time thinking of solutions, rather than complaining about my circumstances," she commented wryly, straightening her back. "Thank you, Ichigo. I will definitely speak with parents about what you've suggested. I'm sure I can have a personal trainer hired."

I decided not to comment on how much money she must have, to mention hiring a personal trainer so casually. Instead, I gave her a thumbs up. "Great!"

At that moment, the door slammed open. I glanced over my shoulder to see Tenya and Izuku entering the room. Hurrying to my feet, I rushed over to Tenya's desk. "T-Tenya, I wanted t-to ask you about y-yesterday-!" I started.

"My brother was in the hospital," Tenya cut me off dismissively. "He is doing well, so there is nothing to be concerned about," I went quiet, staring up at Tenya with wide eyes. "You should go sit down, Ichigo. Mister Aizawa will be here soon," Tenya said, taking his seat.

I looked at him for a long moment. "O-okay," I agreed, going back to my desk. Once I sat down, I frowned at my hands. Tenya was never intentionally impolite, and he had never cut me off before.

I promised myself that after school today, I would run by the library and research Ingenium's hospitalization. I knew something wasn't right.


	22. Episode 22: Hero Names!

**一期一会**

 _ **Ichigoichie**_

 **One life, one encounter. / Every meeting is once in a lifetime.**

I found it amusing that the instant Mister Aizawa entered the classroom, everyone fell silent. The door slid open, and looking his usual, scruffy self, Mister Aizawa slouched inside. Immediately, conversations ended, and my fellow students corrected their postures and laid their hands on their desks. It was a far cry from how the first day of school had started.

"Good morning," Mister Aizawa grunted, shuffling over to the podium. I repeated him with the rest of the class, but far more quietly. I was still nervous about Tenya. What was he doing? What had happened to his brother yesterday? My lack of access to a normal television or the internet meant I had a harder time keeping up with recent news. "Everyone pay attention," Mister Aizawa prompted, pulling me from my thoughts. "Today's class period is a little special."

I could hear Sero inhale sharply, eyes wide. "Is there a pop quiz…?" He whispered fearfully. I rolled my eyes, although I was a bit clueless myself. What had Mister Aizawa decided not to tell me? Normally, he kept me informed about upcoming class events so I could take care of the paperwork for him.

"You'll be creating your codenames today," Mister Aizawa said monotonously, and the class burst into cheers. I gulped, suddenly feeling much more nervous. I had to pick out a hero name? If the agency didn't approve of the name I made, they'd take over for me though! Why hadn't Mister Aizawa forewarned me?! "This is related to the hero internships I mentioned yesterday," Mister Aizawa continued, unaffected by everyone's excited hollering and my angry stare. "As sophomore's and higher, these internships can determine your future career path. Fortunately, for you as freshman, the stakes aren't so high," the other students quieted down to hear Mister Aizawa's explanation, but I continued to glare. This didn't really affect me anyway. "Your internship offers are basically an expression of 'interest' in your future potential. However, it isn't uncommon that by the end of your schooling, that interest drops," Mister Aizawa now looked to me. "Kurosaki, the postings."

With a put-upon sigh, I stood up, walking over to Mister Aizawa's desk. He may not have warned me about the hero names, but the internship-offers chart was within my quarry. Grabbing Mister Aizawa's remote off of the podium, I did my best to ignore my teacher as he wrapped himself up in his sleeping bag and propped himself up against the wall.

"Th-these are the r-results," I prefaced, clicking several buttons on the device and pointing it at the board. A bar graph, labeled with people's names, appeared. At the top, there was Todoroki, with over 4,500 offers. Below him was Bakugo, with around 3,000, and below that was Izuku, with exactly 2,750. The number of offers promptly dropped off from there, with Tokoyami up next and having only 280 internship requests. "F-from w-what I understand, th-this is normally more b-balanced." I added.

Kaminari whistled at the statistics. "Damn, it's so clear who the heroes were watching!" He whined dramatically.

"Clearly, the pros have no eye for style," Aoyama huffed from his seat in the front.

Ochako looked at me with wide eyes. "Ichigo, you didn't get any offers! How?!" She gasped.

I giggled, covering my mouth with one hand. "I d-did get offers, b-but my internship is already d-decided, so there w-wasn't a point in sh-showing th-them here," I explained, before continuing, "And to th-those who didn't r-recieve offers, there's still a l-list of open agencies. Y-you can grab th-them up here," I pointed to the pile of papers on the podium.

"You aren't hiding any damn thing here!" Bakugo roared, slamming his hands on his desk. "Show your fucking scores, Ichimi!"

I sighed at the blonde's one-track mind. "B-Bakago, this isn't a c-competition," I said exasperatedly, not reacting fearfully like I might've before. Bakugo glared at me heatedly, and with another sigh, I clicked a few buttons and my name appeared on the chart. I had 3,500 offers, so I sat right between Todoroki and Bakugo in the rankings.

"Jeez! I thought this was following the Sports Festival rankings!" Kirishima commented, looking surprised. "I wonder if all of Bakugo's cussing scared them off."

Bakugo stood up at his desk, turning on Kirishima. "PROS AIN'T GONNA BE SCARED!" He shouted, hands sparking.

I tapped his arm as I walked back to my seat. "C-classroom conduct," I reminded him, doubting that it would really matter. Bakugo plopped back down in his chair stubbornly, and I took my seat behind Izuku, who was sparkling. I smiled at his behavior. "You're really h-happy, huh?" I asked.

Izuku turned, grinning widely. His cheeks were flushed with excitement. "Yeah! I'm glad I got recognized by so many pros!" He celebrated, eyes shining.

I giggled. "At l-least you know your internship w-will b-be fun," I agreed. "I c-can't wait for my apprenticeship w-with Mister Aizawa," I looked over my shoulder at Momo. "D-do you have any idea of w-who y-you want to intern w-with?" I inquired.

"Yes," Momo nodded, sounding like her usual confident-self. "I want to find a hero who specializes in weaponized combat," I nodded in approval, glancing over to Todoroki curiously. The heterochromatic boy was staring at his desk sullenly. Momo, prompted by my curiosity, spoke up. "You received an impressive amount of requests, Todoroki."

"They're probably because of my father," Todoroki grumbled bitterly, crossing his arms.

I shook my head. "N-no, otherwise, Izukun, B-Bakugo, and I w-wouldn't h-have so many offers-"

My words were cut off by the classroom door slamming open. I jerked around in time to see Midnight striding into the room. Her hands were up behind her head, emphasizing her… assets, and I blushed at the indecency of her costume. The skin tight bodysuit she was wearing, paired with the thick belt and leather straps, practically oozed sexuality. I saw multiple of my male classmates' faces light up at the sight of her. Thankfully, Izuku looked just as embarrassed by Midnight's apparel as I was, so I felt less alone.

"Hey, Class A!" Midnight greeted, barely sparing Mister Aizawa's resting form a glance. "I'll be helping you all pick out your hero names since your teacher can't. Forewarning to you all, you better take this seriously! More often than not, the names you choose now will stick with you for the rest of your careers. They'll reflect on your public image as well," She smiled, posing with her hand on her hip. "So, will the class president pass out these white boards?"

Tenya stood up rigidly, marching to the front and carefully dividing the whiteboards into piles, handing them to each person in the front row and passing them back carefully. Taking the last two, I grabbed one and extended the other over my shoulder to Yaoyorozu. I stared at the board blankly, completely unsure of what to write down. A hero name? I had never considered one before…

* * *

 _Michi's eyes were shining. "You were so cool! I told Mama I'm gonna be a hero-princess just like you someday!"_

 _I giggled. "I'm not a hero quite yet, Michi-chan. Also, what makes you think I'm a 'hero princess'?" I asked amusedly._

 _"_ _Well, that's what the Boom-Boom boy called you," Michi told me matter of factly. "And your hair is all pretty like a princess too!"_

* * *

"Hirohime" sounded pretty ostentatious, I thought doubtfully, but something related to princess would be good. I considered this for a moment, then quickly scrawled down the words I wanted, nodding satisfactorily. I highly doubted this name would stick with me, but it would be a good joke on Bakugo. I giggled to myself, wondering what the blonde's expression would look like.

My eyes widened in startled realization. I was going out of my way to aggravate Bakugo intentionally, with forethought. I really had become more confident.

"Your fifteen minutes are up!" Midnight announced, and I jumped. It had been fifteen minutes?! "Alright, those who think they're ready can present their names to the class!" I gulped, hiding the whiteboard into my lap and hiding it. I had to present this too? Midnight smirked at the front of the room, tilting her head in challenge. "Who wants to go first?" Only one hand was raised. Everyone stared at Aoyama, the sole volunteer. Midnight pointed at him. "You're up!"

Aoyama proceeded to the front of the room. He laid the board down on the podium face-first. "Here it comes," he paused dramatically. "The name of the Sparkling Hero-" he lifted his board in the air. "I cannot stop twinkling!" I wrinkled my nose immediately at his english pronunciation. It sucked, and wasn't he pretending to be french anyways?

"If you take out the 'I' and abbreviate it to 'can't', it'll be easier to say," Midnight suggested.

Aoyama nodded. "Too right, Mademoiselle," he agreed, grabbing his marker and quickly making the changes needed. I sat in the my chair, incredulous, with the rest of the class. Well, I thought sardonically, at least I can't outdo that.

Ashido was the next person to present. "I'm next!" She declared, smacking her board on the podium. "Call me 'Alien Queen'!" I stared at her in confusion as the rest of the class recoiled in disgust.

"You're aiming for the image of that super-acidic blood thing?!" Midnight gasped. "Quit while you're ahead!" She ordered, and Ashido headed back to her seat sullenly. I shrugged, deciding it was probably another thing my lack of access to pop-culture had deprived me of. All I could reference were old movies and dead people. Meanwhile, Midnight, with her hands on her hips, glared at the class sternly. "Tcch."

Tsuyu raised her hand. "Is it okay if I go next?" She asked. I watched her head to the front, and prop up her board. "I've known since elementary school what name I wanted," she prefaced. "Froppy, kero!"

"That's adorable! It's great, it's got a nice, friendly feel," Midnight complimented, clapping her hands. I sighed in relief as Tsuyu returned to her seat. Aoyama and Ashido had almost managed to entirely devalue the exercise. Kirishima was quick to volunteer next, and from there the naming process moved more quickly.

Momo tapped me on the shoulder, and I glanced back. She held up her board. "I know you're fluent in English," she said. "Is this correct?"

I scanned the name she'd created, and quickly changed "evirything" to "everything". I nodded my head, satisfied. "It's g-good," I commented, before turning back to the front.

When Todoroki walked up to the front, the entire class went quiet, curious what the number one student in the grade would come up with. Todoroki didn't even bother being dramatic, simply laying his board on the desk immediately. "Shouto," he said shortly.

"JUST YOUR NAME?! ARE YOU SURE?!" Midnight demanded in surprise.

Shouto automatically returned to his seat. "Yep," he confirmed. I covered my mouth with my hands to hide my giggles, doing my best to muffle them as my shoulders shook. Apparently Todoroki did have a sense of humor, and it was great.

My turn eventually rolled around, after only Izuku and I were left to present (and Bakugo's third try). Reluctantly, I raised my hand. Midnight pointed at me immediately, and I proceeded to the front slowly, feeling like there were lead weights on my feet. I smacked the board down, pointing at Bakugo accusingly. "Th-thanks for the idea, Bakago," I added, just to watch the blonde's face darken.

"That's stupid!" Bakugo roared, pointing right back at me. "Who the hell calls themselves 'hime-hime'?"

I shrugged. "I m-met a little girl d-during the competition who s-said m-my hair reminded her of a princess," I smiled evilly. "She c-called you 'Boom-Boom Boy', if you're s-still struggling."

Bakugo growled. "Shut up! My hero name ain't gonna be fucking prissy like yours, Ichimi!" The blonde returned to scrawling on his board furiously, and with an amused smile, I returned to my seat. I met Izuku's eyes as I walked, and found them filled with determination. The green-haired boy quickly wrote something down, and then raised his hand.

Midnight immediately recognized him. "Midoriya, go!"

Izuku walked up to the front and held out his board. My eyes widened. "This will be my hero name," he declared. "Deku."

My jaw dropped, and then I bursted out into laughter, choking on my own saliva from the force of my giggles. "Th-that is the b-best 'screw y-you' ever," I gasped, hands clutching my sides. I earned a few odd glances, but I was too busy trying to breathe to care.

Izuku returned to his seat, and faced me. "I wasn't sure what name to pick, but your choice to use Kacchan's nickname seemed like a good idea," he admitted. "Maybe I can make this into something other than an insult."

I grinned, cheeks still red from my laughing storm. "Th-that's a great idea!" I cheered, before leaning over to look at Katsuki in the seat ahead of Izuku. "D-don't you agree, Kacchan?"

Bakugo glared at me over his shoulder. "Shut up, Ichimi," he ordered. I giggled again, because even though Bakugo was acting angry, I could see that his fury wasn't directed towards me at all. If anything, he wanted Midnight dead. Without raising his hand, Bakugo stormed back to the front. "Lord of Explodo-kills!" He declared.

"Yeah, that won't fly," Midnight sighed.

* * *

When lunchtime finally rolled around, I was bouncing with excitement. I hopped all the way down the hall, skipped through the cafeteria, and once I reached our table, danced in my seat. My usual mountain of food was laid out in front of me, and Ochako took her seat next to me, once again noting my plethora of food.

"Jeez, Icchan," she laughed. "You're still this excited about eating?"

I nodded frantically. "Yes, L-Lunch Rush is a g-great cook! He has s-steak!" I eyed the enormous bowl of steak and rice on my tray hungrily. I made grabbing motions with my chopsticks, and Ochako swatted at my hands. I made cow-eyes at my food instead, knowing I wasn't allowed to eat until everyone sat down. Ochako and her stupid manners, I grumbled mentally.

"Excuse me?" I glanced up, and my eyes grew wide as dinner plates. Todoroki was standing at our table, holding his lunch tray. "A few weeks ago, you said that I could join you," Todoroki said. "Is that offer still open?"

I nodded slowly. "Uh, s-sure. You c-can have the s-seat at the end of th-he t-table, Tenya and Izuku t-take those," I pointed at the two chairs across the table. Todoroki nodded, silently taking the chair at one end of the rectangular table. I looked over at Ochako awkwardly, pleading with her to start a conversation and kill the tension in the air. She was good at that sort of thing.

Ochako smiled, eyes glimmering with mirth. "So, Todoroki," she started. "What's your favorite food?" I facepalmed, because that was the most stupid and obvious conversation starter ever.

"Cold Soba," Todoroki answered, before asking, "Yours?" I blinked in shock. It had worked?!

Ochako chuckled. "My favorite food is chocolate, actually," she pointed her thumb at me. "I'm pretty sure Icchan eats everything, though," she teased.

I huffed, crossing my arms. "I c-can't eat _anything_ now," I said pointedly. "B-because of your s-stupid rules."

Ochako swatted the back of my head. "No, Icchan," she scolded jokingly. "That is where you tell everyone your favorite food, not make a smart-aleck comment."

"Meat," I said firmly. "I l-like meat," I swallowed, staring at my food tray longingly. My mouth salivated automatically.

Ochako laughed, turning to Todoroki. "I suggest you watch your food around her. She likes stealing other people's food once she finishes her own." I didn't bother to respond, fixated on the meal before me.

Todoroki glanced at me oddly, before looking back to Ochako. "She manages to finish that much food?" He asked, staring at the two foot high mound of rice, meat, and vegetables on my tray.

Ochako nodded solemnly. "Yes," she confirmed, swatting my hands down when I reached for my food again.

Just as I was beginning to grow desperate, Tenya arrived. He sat down in his usual chair, across from Ochako, and neatly laid his napkin in his lap. "Hello everyone," he greeted. "I'm sorry for being so late, I got held back turning in my internship paperwork."

"You already decided where you wanted to intern?!" Ochako gasped, staring at Tenya with wide eyes.

Tenya nodded. "Yes, there's an agency in Hosu City I'm interested in," he said shortly. He then changed the subject. "So, Todoroki, you're sitting with us now?"

"Yep," Todoroki agreed, and the conversation died an untimely death.

I looked over at Ochako with shining eyes. "C-can't I eat n-now?" I begged, stomach grumbling to add weight to my request.

"No, Izukun isn't here yet," Ochako said firmly.

"Actually, I'm here," Someone said from behind us. I turned around to see Izuku standing behind Ochako and I awkwardly, food tray in his hands. "Sorry, I had to turn in my internship paperwork. The lines were pretty long," he sat down next to Tenya, smiling apologetically.

Ochako's jaw dropped. "You've chosen your internship too?! Wow!" She stared at Izuku in shock for a moment, before shaking her head. "Anyways, Izukun, Todoroki is sitting with us from now on."

"Oh, alright - wait, what?!" Izuku shrieked comically, head snapping over to Todoroki, who was sitting in his chair impassively.

Todoroki nodded towards Izuku. "Hello, Midoriya," he said calmly.

"Uh, hey, Todoroki," Izuku responded, looking very uncomfortable.

I grabbed Ochako's arm. "Everyone is here n-now! L-let's eat!" I demanded.

"Right!" Ochako grinned, clapping her hands together. "Itadakimasu!" She cheered, picking up her chopsticks.

"Itadakimasu!" I repeated with Izuku, Tenya, and Todoroki, cheerfully tucking into my food. In the back of my head, I considered what Tenya had said. Although decisive, it wasn't like Tenya to make decisions without doing research or getting a second opinion. He had picked an internship in Hosu City - a city that lacked any major heroes - within only fifteen minutes, shortly after his brother had some sort of accident.

My eyes narrowed in suspicion, even as I stuffed my mouth. Something was definitely wrong. I'd have to speak with Mister Aizawa as soon as possible.


	23. Episode 23: Save Tenya!

"M-Mister Aizawa…?" I knocked on the door cautiously, peeking my head into the teacher's shared offices. Instead, I found a familiar head of gravity defying blonde hair. I smiled shyly. "Uh, h-hey, Present Mic!" I scanned the room one more time before asking, "d-do you know where Mister Aizawa is?"

The sunglasses wearing hero waved at me casually. "Hey Kuro-chan! Sorry, Shouta isn't 'round here, just left. Something up?" I had gotten to know Present Mic over the two months before school started, because he was Mister Aizawa's best friend, not that my mentor would ever openly admit it.

"N-no, I just w-wanted to ask about my internship," I explained, stepping inside the room and closing the door behind me. "I know everyone else h-had t-to submit paperwork, b-but I wasn't sure if I h-had to…"

Present Mic chuckled, waving his hand negligently. "Don't worry about it, Kuro-chan. Aizawa's agency has always been on the ball about that stuff. They're almost all underground heroes, so they don't have too much paperwork to lose stuff in," he glanced at me, and I fixed my eyes to the floor meekly, biting my lip. "Seriously, Kuro-chan, what's up?"

I sighed. "Um… c-can I use a c-computer in here?" I asked, crossing my fingers.

"Sure thing!" Present Mic agreed immediately. "Mind if I ask what for?"

I huffed, taking one of the spinning chairs in front of an immaculate desk, quickly letting my fingers skim the keys. "T-Tenya's been acting odd, and I h-have a theory," I answered, watching the search bar load. The first article to pop up was in all caps, and it made my blood run cold: HERO KILLER ATTACKS INGENIUM IN HOSU! My eyes widened, and I shot up from my chair. "P-Present Mic, are you sure you d-don't know where M-Mister Aizawa is?"

"Nope, sorry Kuro-chan," Present Mic apologize. "Sure I can't help?"

I shook my head, wondering if it would be a mistake. "N-no… I think I should ask Mister Aizawa f-first," I bowed to him politely. "Thank you for your h-help," I added, before spinning and rushing out the door.

I had plans to make, because if I was right, Tenya was about to go Hero Killer hunting, and that wouldn't end well for anyone involved. I bolted from hallway to hallway, flying down stairways and peering through every open door and window I could. I needed to find him now, now, now. My feet danced to the rhythm of the mantra, my heart pounding through my ears and ringing in my skull. Tenya was in danger, Tenya was going to die, Mister Aizawa had to stop him now, now, _now_.

I finally spotted him outside the window of the school. He was in the training field, running laps. He'd taken off his usual black outfit, opting for a tank-top and sweats, hair tied up behind his head. I immediately recognized him, and I thoughtlessly ran up to the window. Pulling the latches, I pushed it open and jumped out. It was only two stories in the air, lower than some jumps Mister Aizawa had made me practice before, so I tucked into a roll, not bothering to use my quirk as I spun over my shoulders onto my feet, again darting across the training field.

"Mister Aizawa!" I called. "MISTER AIZAWA!" The man halted instantaneously, turning to see me, panting and wide eyed, fleeing towards him. I skidded to a stop in front of him, gasping for air. "Mister Aizawa, T-Tenya wants to find the H-Hero Killer…!"

Mister Aizawa looked grim. "I thought so," he confirmed, and I forced my breathing to slow.

I glared at him. "You knew!? And you allowed him t-to sign up?! Why?!" I clenched my fists at my sides, furious beyond belief.

Mister Aizawa sighed, looking unbelievably tired. "Because if I stopped him, he'd find another way. At least he'll be with a professional hero who's watching him," Mister Aizawa looked at me consideringly. "Also, who said I was allowing anything?"

I stared at him in confusion. "... What?"

"We're going to Hosu, Ichigo. Congrats," he tossed something in my hands, and I caught it automatically. It was a red belt that looked awfully similar to Mister Aizawa's own. "You're going to learn how to use that, and finish learning to integrate your scarf into your combat style. Do that, and I'll consider letting you follow me after your friend."

I blinked, stunned, before nodding solemnly. "I understand, Mister Aizawa," I said. "I won't fail."

"Good," Mister Aizawa agreed casually. "Also, you didn't stutter. Great job," he pat me on the head, and his tone was so dry and sarcastic it took me a second to realize what he'd said.

When the thought finished circulating through my brain, my jaw dropped. "Eh?! B-but how-!"

Mister Aizawa placed his hand over my mouth. "I'll give you a pass on that one," he said. "It's obvious you can talk without stuttering now, so don't speak unless you're sure you won't stutter. Otherwise…" he paused dramatically. "I'll add twenty push ups to your warm up per repeated syllable." My eyes widened fearfully, and I nodded frantically. That was a heavy threat. I hated push ups. "Alright then, start running," Mister Aizawa ordered, pulling his hand back. I looked at him oddly. "Get on. Go," he urged. "I don't care that you're in your uniform. You jumped out the window to get here, you might as well get started running."

I groaned exasperatedly, turning towards the track and starting off at a slow jog. "You're m-mean!" I yelled back at him.

"Add twenty!" Mister Aizawa hollered back, and I sighed in defeat.

* * *

I stood in the train station, quietly watching my classmates board one-by-one. They seemed so carefree and excited. My hands reached up to clasp the scarf hung around my neck, remembering the promise I'd made. I wouldn't fail Tenya, even if he was his own enemy. I'd never had friends before, I'd never had so many people care I existed.

"Hey, Icchan?" I glanced over my shoulder to see Ochako and Izuku.

I forced myself to smile. "H-hey guys!" I chirped, turning around fully. "G-getting ready to go?"

"Yep!" Ochako held up her clenched fist, eyes lighting with determination. "I'm going to Gunhead's Agency to get more combat experience!"

"You are as well?" Momo suddenly appeared in my field of vision, looking at Ochako. "That is where my internship is."

Ochako grinned, offering Momo her hand. "I've seen Icchan hanging out with you before, and any friend of hers is a friend of mine!" She cheered.

Momo shook her hand. "The same holds true of me. It will be an honor training with you, Uraraka."

Ochako gave Momo a thumbs up. "Sure thing!" she agreed, before spinning around and hugging me tightly. Now used to this treatment, I didn't tense up, actually hugging her back. "I'll see you in a week!" She whispered in my ear fiercely, before letting me go and grabbing her suitcase. Ochako started towards her train immediately, chatting up a storm with Momo.

I watched them go, a bittersweet smile on my face. Momo and Ochako would get along well, their personalities were well-suited to each other. I almost feared them meeting, because they would undoubtedly grow closer, and I was scared what that would mean for me. Would they forget about me, like so many had done before?

"Ichigo…?" I glanced back at Izuku, who was looking concerned. "Are you okay?" He asked.

I shook my head, crossing my arms defensively. "It's nothing," I answered dismissively. "So, w-where're you going f-for your internship?"

Izuku watched me cautiously, before seeming to dismiss my odd behaviour as well. "There's a hero, his name's Gran Torino," Izuku said. "All Might recommended him."

My eyes widened. "Talk about h-high praise," I pat Izuku on the shoulder. "H-have fun!" I grinned brightly.

"You too," Izuku responded, gathering his luggage together. I nodded, watching him head towards his train. My eyes grew darker as he walked away, and I reached up to grab my scarf again compulsively.

A hand fell on my shoulder. I looked up, startled, to see Mister Aizawa. "We'll be taking a train to Hosu tonight," he declared. "Pack up your stuff, meet me here again at eight pm, got it?"

I took a deep breath, exhaled, and then spoke, focusing carefully. "Yes, Mister Aizawa," I agreed. My grip on my scarf only grew tighter.

* * *

That night, I met Mister Aizawa at the train station, at exactly eight pm. I had my backpack slung over my shoulder, all my worldly possessions inside, along with a belt securing my sleeping bag to the back. Mister Aizawa raised an eyebrow at my lack of stuff, but didn't press.

"We'll be on the train for a few hours," Mister Aizawa explained the plan. "The agency's already cleared me for fieldwork in Hosu for the next week, despite it being out of my usual area. So, we're going to get there, we'll drop our belongings off at the hotel we've been booked for, and then get suited up and go on patrol."

My eyes widened. "Mister Aizawa, that'll be at two am!" I protested.

Mister Aizawa grinned at me in that familiar, beatific manner. "I work at night, Ichigo. You'll have to get used to it," he declared. I suddenly noticed how much more awake than usual Mister Aizawa appeared. Everything clicked.

"You're nocturnal," I deadpanned. My shoulders slumped, and I hung my head in defeat. "And so I'll have to be as well."

"Indeed," Mister Aizawa agreed, swaggering off towards the train. "Now, let's get going. If you want to get a three hour patrol in, we'll need to catch this train," he said. I sighed heavily, hefting my bag over my shoulder and dragging my feet after him. I'd never been a fan of caffeine before, but I had a feeling that after this internship, I would become a major consumer.

Walking through the metal doors of the train car, I awkwardly wove my way through the sea of legs and exhausted looking people, following Mister Aizawa. I sat down next to him on one of the many plastic, faded orange benches lining the walls. When he made no attempts to look at me, I shifted awkwardly. Turning in my seat, I crossed my arms across the top of the bench and laid my chin on my arms, staring out the window at the starless sky. I had never seen the stars in person, but the pictures I'd seen online looked beautiful. I closed my eyes, envisioning the pictures of the starry skies I'd seen.

"You aren't going to play on your phone or something?" Mister Aizawa questioned, breaking my concentration.

My eyes snapped open, and I bit my lip in thought. "No," I said. "I did b-bring some library books, though. I wanted to save them…"

"Alright," Mister Aizawa agreed casually, leaning back in his seat. "Also, plus twenty." I huffed in amusement, tucking my face back into my arms. That threat had already gotten old. I returned to imagining a night sky full of lights, and tried to ignore the shaking of the train and the voices of the people around me.

My mind vanished into a daze, and I fell into a half-sleep. I couldn't be sure how much time passed. I was eventually woken up by a hand shaking my shoulder. I reacted instantly, leaping to my feet and sending a punch towards the person who'd touched me while I was asleep. A strong grip around my wrist broke my haze. I met Mister Aizawa's sharp eyes, and my stance slackened.

"Sorry…" I mumbled, drawing my hands back against my chest. I picked up my backpack, refusing to make eye-contact with my mentor again.

Mister Aizawa's eyes followed me, before he turned around and dragged his suitcase from off the rack above our seats. "Let's go," he said, apparently deciding to ignore my strange behavior. I nodded, following him and thanking him for choosing not pursue the topic. Sleeping on the streets had taught me to sleep lightly, and to react violently when someone touched me uninvited.

Exiting the train, I followed Mister Aizawa as he charted a path through the quickly moving crowd. People seemed to part out of his way, and I trailed behind him closely to avoid being trampled. I couldn't help but admire my teacher now. During the day, Mister Aizawa looked scruffy and tired, not impressive at all. At night, the exhaustion that constantly followed my mentor around seemed to fade away. Mister Aizawa looked strong and intimidating now. His slouch went away, and his eyes looked far more alert now. He was still scruffy and rough around the edges, but his entire atmosphere had changed into something far more threatening.

I wondered if I could ever walk like that, with that constant, looming air of power in every step. Was this how heroes managed to inspire others? They held so much strength that they couldn't help but be charismatic and confident? When I held that power, would I be the same?

The hotel we arrived at made my jaw drop. It was sky high, with fountains and pillars in the front. I could see sleek black cars dropping off people in expensive looking clothes, dripping in so much jewelry they appeared to shine in the dim lighting. Bell-boys in red uniforms took their luggage, and I stared in utter shock as we drew closer.

Mister Aizawa grunted as we drew closer. "I told them nowhere showy," he muttered bitterly, and I glanced up at him with wide eyes. He hadn't wanted somewhere luxurious?! I didn't get a chance to question him before he started walking again, striding towards the building. I struggled to keep up, short legs slowing me down as always. Mister Aizawa walked right up to the front of the building, heading towards the entrance.

One of the bellboys tried to stop him. "Excuse me, sir, are you sure-" Mister Aizawa glanced at him darkly, cearly impatient. His eyes flashed red, and the bellboy back off immediately, looking cowed.

Mister Aizawa strode through the grand entrance of the hotel, dragging his suitcase across the gleaming marble floors up to the decorated front desk. I was scanning the humongous entrance area frantically. There was another fountain in the middle of the cavernous room. Red carpets ran along the floors, with steps leading up to a seating area filled with plush looking couches and chairs.

Mister Aizawa stopped in front of the front desk. "Shouta Aizawa," he said. "I have reservations for a room for two."

The receptionist glanced at him, looking disbelieving. Appearing to humor him, she typed Mister Aizawa's name into her computer. Her eyes widened. "Of course, sir," she agreed. "One moment," her hands rocketed across the keyboard, lightning fast, before she removed two plastic cards from the machine on her desk. "These are your room keys, you have room 548," she smiled at my mentor. "Do you need anything else?"

"No," Mister Aizawa said shortly, turning on his heel and starting towards the elevator. I stumbled after him, still shell-shocked by the hotel's lavish decor. Mister Aizawa hit the button for the elevator roughly, catching my attention. "I don't like these places," he complained under his breath. "They're nosy." I covered my mouth to hide my giggles at the childish words coming from my normally serious and mature teacher. Mister Aizawa glanced down at me challengingly. "What is it?" he demanded, and I shook my head, trying to stop my shoulders from shaking.

"N-nothing," I gasped, sliding into the elevator beside Mister Aizawa. My eyes widened when I realized the walls of the elevator were glass, and I could therefore look outside and see the indoor balconies of the rooms fly by.

Mister Aizawa narrowed his eyes at me. "Plus twenty," he quipped monotonously, and I didn't bother to react, continuing to stare outside the glass. I grinned when I spotted the paper planes lining the windows, and I pointed them out to Mister Aizawa. He merely rolled his eyes, grumbling something about kids.

When the elevator came to a stop, I was quick to follow Mister Aizawa out the doors and down the carpeted halls of the elevator. Room 548 wasn't far from the elevator, so we reached it fast, and with the swipe of a keycard, Mister Aizawa opened the door. I stepped into the hotel room, and my jaw dropped all over again. The hotel room had a small living room with a flat-screen TV, a fully equipped kitchen, and a closet with a washing machine and dryer inside. There was a small hallway leading from the living room, and I darted forwards to peek down it. There were two bedrooms, one was a master suite, and the other a small bedroom with a twin bed and subsequent bathroom. The walls were painted an off-white, the carpet was a pale beige, and the lights running along the roof looked like little, bright bubbles.

I was grinning so wide my cheeks hurt. This week was going to be great! This was the nicest place I'd ever been in!

"Drop your stuff in the that room," Mister Aizawa ordered, jerking a thumb at the smaller bedroom and taking the master suite for himself. "Change into your costume, bring the belt and scarf. We're going on patrol until 6 am," he declared, slamming the door shut behind him.

My smile fell. "But that's four hours!" I protested. "I'm going t-to die!"

Mister Aizawa's only response was a muffled, "Plus twenty," through the door.

* * *

A/N So... I'm out of proverbs to put at the start. So oh well, I guess that jig is up. Whoops.


	24. Episode 24: Hero Training Isn't Easy!

Going on patrol wasn't easy. I had done my research beforehand, scanning the internet for interviews and articles in the library. Most heroes did patrols as a way of enforcing their presence and building a connection with the public. As an underground hero who did patrols at night, Mister Aizawa didn't have to worry about either of those purposes. It was all about searching for trouble, and reacting accordingly. As a result, his patrols didn't involve walking the streets in the daylight.

They instead were spent climbing high buildings, perching there, and using the infrared binoculars in my tool belt to scan the streets. After almost two hours of sitting and waiting, I was starting to get impatient. Fidgeting, tugging on my braids, and humming to myself (Mister Aizawa interrupted me with, "Add fifty." I didn't think he was keeping count anymore) were all things I did trying to pass the time. As beautiful as the city looked at night, I could only stare at it for so long before that beauty became the ultimate boredom.

"There," Mister Aizawa said suddenly. I flinched in surprise, quickly following the direction his head was facing with my own focusing-goggles. My eyes widened when I spotted the break-in Mister Aizawa had managed to notice several blocks away. "Well," Mister Aizawa started, easily standing on the precariously ledge of the skyscraper we'd been waiting on. "Let's go."

I gulped. "Uh, ' _let's_ '?" I repeated, feeling anxiety build in my chest.

Mister Aizawa turned, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. "There's nothing like on the job training," he declared, side-stepping off the side of the building. I choked on air, scrambling forwards to peek over the edge. Mister Aizawa used his scarf to latch onto one of the protruding pipes peeking out of the wall of the building. He waved up at me casually, feet braced on the side of the building, scarf securing his waist. "Watch me do it," he explained. "And then copy the path I make. It's just like the exercises I had you do back at Yuuei," he smiled viciously. "Just higher."

I huffed, displeased with how amused my teacher looked. "' _Just higher_ ,' he says," I muttered bitterly, pushing myself to the ledge and dangling my legs over, staring down the thirty floors between me and the street below. Taking a deep breath, I pushed myself off, using the wall to turn myself mid-air. I flung my red scarf at the pipe-drains, watching the cloth wrap around the metal securely. I then swung back into the wall, and I braced my feet against it, landing on the concrete lightly next to Mister Aizawa. I exhaled shakily, carefully testing the security of my position.

"Good," Mister Aizawa said, and I smiled anxiously. Mister Aizawa was very stingy with compliments. "Now, do this," he ordered, unwrapping his scarf. Mister Aizawa skidded down the flat, vertical surface of the building. When he was close to level with the next rooftop, he pushed off, landing in a roll on the roof. He stood up and turned around, clearly waiting for me.

I clenched my fists, feeling my hands shake. I didn't consider myself afraid of heights, but there was something about allowing myself to free-fall ten stories and then leaping across a twenty foot gap that made me suddenly _nervous_. Taking a deep breath, I told myself that Mister Aizawa trusted I could do it, and tugged on my scarf. My hands ran along the surface of the wall as I plummeted earthward. I wasn't confident enough to only use one hand like Mister Aizawa, so instead I had both hands and feet skimming the concrete, checking over my shoulder to see how far down I was. Leaving my stomach somewhere in the air behind me, I judged the distance between me and the next rooftop, finally pushing off with both my legs and back flipping across the gap. I used my hands to guide myself into a backwards roll, coming up to my feet a few feet ahead of Mister Aizawa.

I stood there for a few moments, stunned, before grinning madly. "Yes!" I cheered, jumping into the air and punching at the sky. "I did it! I'm alive. Holy… Yes!" I turned to Mister Aizawa. "Did you see that?!" I asked excitedly. "I did it! I lived! Holy… wow…" I started to calm down quickly, the adrenaline dying down as I slowly realized what I had just done. "Goodness… I'm crazy… wow…"

Mister Aizawa nodded levelly. "I saw what you did," he stated. "That was probably the hardest part of our journey, now it's just free running," I laughed, because no one else would say "just free-running" so casually. "Let's go, you don't want the thief to escape." He turned around, and sprinted towards the edge of the rooftop. I shook my head, still grinning wide enough to split my face in half, and ran after him, jumping over the edge.

A series of flips, jumps, and running along walls carried me the next few blocks over. It took maybe a minute to arrive at the crime scene. There was a jewelry shop with a broken window, and I could see three people shuffling about inside. The infrared, focused goggles I was wearing made it easy to spot each person in the building. Crouching on the roof of the building next to Mister Aizawa, I waited for my next orders.

"Go for it," Mister Aizawa said. I glanced over at him and stared at him like he was crazy. What the heck did 'go for it' mean? Mister Aizawa looked back at me expectantly. "Well? Go for it. Go. You don't want them getting away, do you?"

I pointed at myself, eyes wide. "You mean, I go fight them now?" Mister Aizawa nodded. "Oh. Okay then, alright. I'll just-" I swung myself off the roof, landing in the middle of the street. I darted forwards, still reeling from Mister Aizawa's apparent training method of tossing me in the deep end and hoping I didn't drown.

I leaped through the broken window, immediately focusing in on the nearest target. I lunged forwards, scarf extended, before the guy even had time to turn. He barely managed to face me, choking out a shocked, "What-?!" right before my scarf tangled around his neck, yanking him forwards onto the floor. I landed on his back, grabbing his wrists and quickly pulling off a set of handcuffs from my belt. I snapped them on his wrists, finishing him off with a final chop to the neck before snapping my head up to scan the other two thieves.

Both stared back at me, seeming equally stunned by my arrival and their partner's quick take down. Then, in the same moment, we all moved. I flung myself towards the next nearest person, a woman whose hands were full of jeweled necklaces. The woman dropped the jewelry, as her nails sharpened into long claws, and the final man fled the scene, climbing back out the broken window holding a duffel bag full of cash.

From behind the night-vision goggles I was wearing, everything was tinged green. The woman's claws flashed as she tore across the store towards me, mouth curled into an ugly snarl. I ducked the first slash of her claws, slamming my fist into her gut. She bowed down instinctively, air knocked out of her lungs, and I quickly hooked my arm around her neck, dragging her to the floor. Swinging my legs over her waist, I grabbed her wrists and buckled them in a second set of handcuffs from my belt. The woman hissed at me, struggling to break free, and I noticed the odd shape of her pupils. I grinned in amusement, pushing myself off of her back and soaring out the window. A cat burglar, really?

I landed outside the store, and I swung my head back and forth, searching for the escaping man. My eyes widened when I spotted Mister Aizawa casually sitting on the back of the third robber in the middle of the street, the bag of money on the ground at his side. The man was kicking and screaming, hands cuffed underneath him, while Mister Aizawa sat on him. Clearly, he hadn't made it far before my mentor had captured him.

I giggled. "Did you really need to sit on him?" I asked, cheeks flushed and shoulders shaking.

"Not really," Mister Aizawa answered, standing up slowly. He glanced down at the struggling man clinically, before leaning down and pinching a nerve bundle at the back of the man's neck. He fell limp instantly. Mister Aizawa stood straight again, facing me. "I've already contacted the police, they'll be here in a few minutes," Mister Aizawa said, and I nodded, sobering.

"I have both a man and a woman cuffed inside," I informed him seriously. "One's unconscious, and one is a... cat," I giggled, facade breaking. "We just stopped a cat burglary!" I cheered, before breaking down into laughter.

Mister Aizawa sighed heavily. "So help me, if you develop Yamada's sense of humor I will make you run laps around the school until you collapse," My mouth shut instantly. I stopped laughing. "Good," Mister Aizawa added, looking down the street.

At that moment, the sounds of sirens and flashing lights broke the relative peace of the night. Four police cars turned the corner, screeching to a stop in front of the store. The eight uniformed men who climbed out were quick to begin blocking off the area with caution tape. Half of them split off to approach Mister Aizawa and I.

"Sir, may I see your license?" One of the officers asked Mister Aizawa. Mister Aizawa reached into his utility belt, flipping out a black wallet that I knew contained his hero license. "And your sidekick?" The officer questioned, pointing at me.

Mister Aizawa shook his head. "An intern, the paper work's in the system," he said. "There's two more inside the store. Hime-Hime," I jumped at the sound of my silly hero name. He was seriously calling me that?! "Take two of the officers and go grab the other two. I'll give my report of the incident to the officer."

I nodded. "Yes sir!" I chirped, turning to two of the officers staring at Mister Aizawa, looking slightly awed. "Excuse me, will you please follow me inside?" The duo nodded immediately, and I spun on my heel, marching over to the store. This time, I used the door, and was surprised to find it unlocked. Why had the trio of thieves even bothered to break the window if the door was open? Shaking my head at their stupidity, I pointed at the unconscious man. "There's a man over there," I told the officers, before approaching the cat-woman.

She hissed at me when I drew closer, chin propped up on the floor. Her cat-like eyes glared at me furiously. "You little bitch," she growled. I sighed at the unoriginality of her insult. Why did everyone call me a bitch? Why didn't they use variety? Bakugo was creative, they should use his example.

Grabbing her by the wrist and elbow, I hauled the woman to her feet. The officers stared at me with wide eyes from their spots, carrying the unconscious body of the first robber I'd dispatched. I bit my lip to keep from giggling, because they were clearly shocked by my ability to throw around the much taller woman.

"Please walk forward," I ordered, guiding the cat-woman forwards. She hissed again, unhappy with her position, but followed me regardless as I led her out of the store. I trailed after the officers with my own prisoner, as they shut the thieves into the backs of each car. Once I had passed the cat-woman into the custody of the officers, I turned around to see Mister Aizawa. "Eraserhea-" I was cut off by a stab in the back. Eyes wide, I turned around to see that the cat-lady had escaped the officers grips, claws having severed the cuffs holding her wrists and now buried in my lower back. I stared at the injury for a second, then reached out behind myself to grab her wrist and elbow. I flipped her over my hips and onto the ground, dragging her claws through and out of my back, furthering the injury. Landing on the woman's stomach, I held her hands to the ground above her head, using my knees to pin her shoulders down. I glared at her angrily. "You've already lost, don't worsen the charges you're being faced with."

The shorter of the officers, a man with a stout figure and soft face, was gaping at me. "Uh, miss? Your back…" He pointed with a shaking finger at the bleeding claw wounds running up my back.

I blinked, checking over my shoulder. My pain tolerance was so much more developed, I hadn't noticed the injury. "Oh, that. It's nothing," I said dismissively, looking back to the cat-lady, who also was staring up at me with wide eyes. "Please secure this woman," I asked politely. "Get something that covers her hands, her claws need room to grow."

The officers scrambled to follow my request, and the cat-woman stared up at me with stunned eyes, no longer struggling. I grinned at her when I activated my quirk, just to watch her horrified eyes as I erupted into a pillar of steam, the small scratches on my face closing instantly.

When the police had finished sticking each of the criminals into their own cars, thanking Mister Aizawa and I for our efforts, and driven away, I turned to Mister Aizawa with a big, cheesy grin on my face. "That went well, huh?" I said happily. I stretched my arms out in front of me. "This whole internship thing is pretty cool."

Mister Aizawa deadpanned. "Ichigo, what have we learned?" he inquired, sounding severely unimpressed.

I sighed heavily, shoulders slumping and head hung. "You don't turn your back on dangerous criminals," I mumbled, cheeks heating up in embarrassment. My mistake sounded so stupid, when he made me repeat it aloud!

"Good," Mister Aizawa confirmed, flipping a small device out of a pocket on his belt. "It's 5:25 am right now, so there's still forty-five minutes of patrol left. Let's go," he tucked the device away, scarf lashing out and grabbing onto one of the rooftops. Mister Aizawa vanished in a blur of movement.

I groaned, exhausted, before following after him. He still wanted to continue the patrol?!

* * *

Over the next several days, Mister Aizawa and I continued to catch robbers, gang members, and most memorably a druggie with a spike quirk rampaging in the back alleys of the city. We got to know the police officers who worked the night shift a lot better as well. Mister Aizawa was more effective than any other hero in the city of Hosu, and probably most other heroes in Japan as well. I hadn't realized it until I was experiencing it, but daytime heroes were held back by their images, public opinion, and their own schedules. Underground heroes didn't need to worry about commercial appointments or interviews. It was all about heroism and catching criminals. In total, my internship was going great. I was learning plenty, gaining practical experience, and preparing for my future career.

On the fourth day (night?), I woke up at 6 pm. Crawling out of my bed, I shuffled into the kitchen and started brewing myself a pot of coffee. My hair was still a mess, and I was wearing my only pajamas, a rumpled, oversized baby-blue jumpsuit Missus Yukihime had bought me. Once I had a cup of coffee in my hands, I walked over to the couch, plopping down on the cushions and planning to kill time until Mister Aizawa woke up.

Instead, I was met with a breaking news headline. There were burning buildings, chaos in the streets, and very familiar looking monsters clashing with the heroes.

Bolting to my feet, I fled down the hall, crashing through the master suite's door. "MISTER AIZAWA! WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW!"


	25. Episode 25: The Hero Killer!

The city was on fire. I could barely make it more than a few feet before I was feeling the burning heat of a new bonfire, fueled by some stranger's home, business, or livelihood. There was a heavy pit in my gut as I followed Mister Aizawa through the tide of screaming, panicking civilians. What kind of person could do this? Who could be so cruel as to haphazardly wreck entire city blocks without any clear goal in mind?

Ducking under another person's wildly flailing arm, I sped up and tried to keep pace with my mentor. Mister Aizawa was running faster than I had ever seen him go, because our usual method of transportation, free-running, was limited by the burning and crumbling buildings around us.

Suddenly, there was a loud, inhuman roar, the pitch so ear-splitting and guttural that I knew it belonged to one of those monsters on television. The parallels of the beast called Noumu at the USJ. Mister Aizawa stopped, and I barely managed to screech to a halt without crashing into him.

"Hime-Hime, go help the other heroes with crowd control," Mister Aizawa ordered, and I gaped at him for a moment.

Instinctively, I wanted to protest, but I remembered the events of the USJ, and stopped myself. Mister Aizawa knew what he was doing better than I did, so I ducked my head, bit my tongue, and tried to keep my eyes from watering.

Mister Aizawa laid his hand on my head. "You're a good kid, but you aren't ready for this," he said. I nodded, but secretly I spread my quirk over to him through his hand on my head. Maybe I couldn't accompany Mister Aizawa, but I could still protect him to the best of my abilities.

"Yes sir," I agreed, meeting Mister Aizawa's steady gaze with my own determined eyes, before wheeling around and darting towards the heroes who were attempting to corral the chaotic mob of civilians towards safety. Spotting a hero with spiky hair in an orange suit nearby, I ran up to him. "Excuse me, sir! I'm here to help, anything I can do to assist?" I shouted over the screaming crowd and far off monsters' roars.

The hero glanced down at me, and I couldn't see his face behind his visor, but he still managed to look panicked. "You're just a kid!" He yelled. "Get with the evacuees!" He grabbed me by the collar and dragged me into the writhing mass of people, and for the millionth time I cursed my height.

Getting elbowed in the face by a random ongoer, I barely managed to extricate myself from the chaos, panting and stumbling over the curb. I ended up leaning against the wall inside a dark alley, the sounds of the mob muffled by my heart thumping in my ears. I felt momentarily thankful that my quirk was still activated from helping Mister Aizawa, or else that elbow to the eye would've hurt a lot worse.

A flash of glowing green zoomed over my head, breaking through the shadows of the alley, and my eyes shot up to the sky. I should have been surprised, but I was too relieved by the sight of my friend to act accordingly. "Izuku!" I shouted, hoping beyond hope I would catch his attention.

In a flash, Izuku was standing in front of me, green lightning still echoing in the air around him. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up from the static still lingering in the air. "We have to go!" Izuku barked urgently, hands clasping my shoulders tightly. "Tenya's found the Hero Killer!"

My heart stopped. I felt a chill run down my spine. Of all the times for Tenya to do something stupid, it was when Mister Aizawa wasn't here. I didn't have anyone to take orders from now, so only I could decide what was best. "Take me with you," I decided, twisting around Izuku's back and wrapping my legs around his waist. My hands clasped the back of his shoulders.

Normally, this would have created a puddle of embarrassed Izuku and Ichigo goo. Instead, Izuku just nodded, eyes glowing with pure power as he took off into the air. He bounced from wall to wall, rocketing through the alleyways searching for our friend. I tucked my face into his back, doing my best to keep my eyes from watering and blinding me. If I had known how quickly Izuku was capable of moving, I would've put my goggles on to protect my eyes from the wind.

"BINGO!" Izuku shouted, and instantly I knew that he had found Tenya. My quirk rippled as I shared it with him last second, releasing my grip on his back and falling to the concrete in a smooth roll. Izuku flew past me, and I watched in awe as his fist slammed into what could only be the Hero Killer's jaw.

I shook off my surprise, focusing on the immediate situation. I did a quick headcount, gathering as much data as I could. We were far away from the other heroes, there was no help coming. The Hero Killer was currently engaged in combat with Izuku, and I didn't know what his quirk was. There were three people capable of fighting in this alley, and only two of them were on my side, including me. The other two were grievously injured and likely the Hero Killer's future victims. In summary, I was in a dark alley, with two injured people that needed protection, and all that stood between them and an unknown murderer were two academy students.

"Tenya," Izuku said, taking a fighting stance in front of our fallen friend. "I've come to save you!" he announced. I grit my teeth, hoping he was right. I rushed through a series of plans and variables, wondering how I could extract the two injured people from the situation.

Tenya, meanwhile, decided to hold a conversation with Izuku. "WHY ARE YOU HERE?!" he demanded, and if he wasn't so badly injured, I would've wanted to slap him. That wasn't important right now!

"I saw it on a tabloid show on T.V. 60% of the Hero Killer's victims were found in deserted alley corners," Izuku explained, not taking his eyes off the immediate threat. I snuck forward as he spoke, assessing Tenya's injuries as best I could through the armor he was wearing. "So I moved from the center of the commotion through the alleys near the Normal Hero's Office, and found you here!"

I grabbed Tenya's shoulders in that moment, gripping his armor and turning his limp body over to face me. "Can you move?" I asked, noticing the heavily bleeding stab wound on his shoulder. I clenched my jaw, knowing that I'd have to heal him before he bled out. That also meant more pain on my part later. Spreading my quirk over to him, I heard Tenya sigh in relief as the pain of his injuries numbed. Steam floated into the air, and I made eye contact with the Hero Killer, who looked very interested by my actions.

"No, I can't move," Tenya bit out, before raising his voice so Izuku could hear. "I've been paralyzed ever since I got slashed! It must be his quirk!" He announced. Izuku nodded, attention still centered on the Hero Killer, who was simply looming over us ominously, allowing us to plan. I frowned, wondering what the twisted murderer was thinking. "Izuku, don't get involved. THIS HAS NOTHI-MMPH!" I slapped my hands over Tenya's mouth, silencing him. I noticed Izuku's shoulders tense, having apparently understood enough about what Tenya was trying to say, but I wasn't going to let him finish.

I leaned in, glaring at my friend heatedly. "Listen to me right now, Tenya Iida. We are your friends, and therefore will not leave you to die. So take whatever little revenge scheme you're planning and _shove it_ ," I glanced up at Izuku, ignoring the stunned and furious look on my fallen friend's face. "I've shared my quirk with you already. You're safe, just do your best to distract him," I flickered my eyes over to the disabled Pro Hero who was propped up against the alley wall. "We need to remove the injured people from the equation first."

"That's a nice line," the Hero Killer interrupted. I looked up at him, startled by the deep, gravelly voice. "'I've come here to save you' is a nice line, but if you stand in my way… I have a duty to kill the corrupted," the Hero Killer grinned, and his eyes flickered with madness. "If we clash, the weaker will be culled."

I wasn't sure what possessed me to step forward. I was looking death in the eyes, but then again, with a quirk like mine, death had never been something to be scared of. "There have been worse things to die for," I said confidently, and the Hero Killer looked so pleased by my words that I felt taken aback. Instead, I slid my feet into position. "Izuku, now!" I called, before jumping to the side.

Izuku lunged forward in a blur of movement, quickly closing the distance between himself and the Hero Killer. I caught sight of him sliding between the murderer's legs before I landed beside the fallen Pro Hero. With minimal concentration, I spread my quirk over to him, ignoring the burst of steam that stung my hands as I dragged the hero back by the shoulders towards Tenya. Laying the heavy body on the ground next to Tenya, I glanced back up at the Hero Killer and Izuku. My eyes widened in horror.

Izuku was on the ground, not visibly injured but still splayed out limply at the murderer's feet. His panicked green eyes met mine. "It's blood! He managed to bite me and get past your quirk!" Izuku shouted, and I inhaled sharply. The Hero Killer licked his lips, staring me down with dark amusement in his eyes.

I clenched my jaw, and reached into my tool belt. "You can't kill them. I'm sure you've figured that out," I said slowly, trying to buy time. My fingers gathered as many of the tiny spikes I needed as they could. I had teased Mister Aizawa, saying that if he wanted to be a ninja he was missing the shuriken, but now these things could save my life.

"Anyone is killable, even society's silly Pro Heroes," the Hero Killer sneered, drawing a long, jagged blade into his hand. "I have a duty to cleanse this world of filth and liars."

I grinned weakly. "Then come and get me," I challenged, and tossed the spiked weapons out in front of me. The spur-like tools stuck to the ground, the walls, and anywhere that could have been safe to step. I gripped my scarf in my hands as well, drawing the cloth taut in preparation. If the Hero Killer tried to attack me with his weapons, I knew multiple maneuvers to disarm him.

My eyes flickered over to Izuku. I needed a way to remove him from the situation too now, although it didn't look like the Hero Killer was targeting him. In the second that my eyes wandered, the Hero Killer lunged across the mine-field I'd created, and I stumbled backwards as I used my scarf to block the sword aimed at my face. Clenching my jaw, I pivoted on my heel, wrapping the carbon-fiber scarf around the sword and kicking my legs up. The blade snapped in half, and I landed my aerial a few feet back. I glared at the murderer furiously, trying to think of a way to draw in him away from Tenya and the Pro.

The Hero Killer licked his lips. "You're different from the other one," he observed. "Your eyes are colder. That's not a look befitting a hero," he said, and my blood ran cold. My mind scrambled to fit his words into my understanding of his psyche.

The Hero Killer said he "had a duty to kill the corrupted", and that my eyes didn't fit a hero. He clearly had a fixation on heroism. Did he see himself as a martyr? Was he trying to "purify" heroism? Corruption among Pro-Heroes wasn't unheard of. Could the Hero Killer's crimes be tied to that?

"I'd say just about anyone can become a hero these days," I pushed, and the murderer's eyes flashed angrily. I shrugged with forced nonchalance, knowing I'd hit jackpot. "Even if I don't look like a hero, I can still become one. We can't all be like All Might, after all," I said, slowly circling away from Tenya and the Pro, turning the Hero Killer's focus away from them and onto me. I had to be careful though, because with a single incorrect word, the Hero Killer would turn around and murder them before I could react. "Besides, I'm just in it for the money," I snorted, and had to stop my hands from shaking when the murderer started leaking bloodlust. I smiled shakily. "Do you _know_ how much Pro-Heroes make these days? I'll be set for life!"

The Hero Killer snarled, eyes tearing into me hatefully. He drew a new set of knives from his belt, since I'd already broken his sword. "You're corrupted!" he hissed, at me. "I WILL CLEANSE ALL HEROES!"

I tripped backwards, surprised by the murderer's sudden burst of speed. My hands scrambled to position my scarf, but I knew it'd be too late. I shut my eyes instinctively, preparing for the knives about to stab into my head. I landed on the ground sloppily, but I never felt anything penetrate my skin. Instead, a wave of heat brushed along my body. I opened my eyes, and was stunned by the sight of Todoroki standing between Tenya and I, flames racing up his side and into the air.

"Midoriya, for something like this, you text me more information," Todoroki announced casually, pocketing his phone with the hand not covered in fire. He scanned the scene, Izuku staring at him with wide eyes, me gaping on the floor, and Tenya and the Pro facedown on the concrete. "Now, I'm late," he observed.

I shook my head, rushing to my feet. I glanced over my shoulder to see the Hero Killer standing in the mess of spikes I'd created earlier. He must've been forced to leap over me to dodge Todoroki's flames, I realized.

I looked up Todoroki, feeling relieved that there was now someone else around capable of moving. "Your timing is impeccable," I complimented. "Think you can move Izuku over here?"

"Yeah," Todoroki agreed, and in an instant an icy ramp was lifting Izuku up and sweeping him over next to Tenya. The ice vanished a moment later, instantly evaporated by Todoroki's flames. He glanced at me oddly. "So, you don't stutter anymore."

My eyes widened, and I shrugged. "It's a w-work in progress," I answered, and then mentally slapped myself. A voice that sounded suspiciously like Mister Aizawa echoed, "plus twenty" in my head. I clenched my fists, returning to business. "The Hero Killer's quirk allows him to paralyze you after consuming your blood. We don't know the limits of it yet." I grinned cheekily. "But I have managed to piss him off enough to cloud his thinking, so there's that."

The Hero Killer's eyes widened. "That was intentional?" He realized, and then he smiled as well, but his "grin" was all teeth and gums. It looked more like an animal baring its teeth. "Perhaps you aren't as unfit as I thought," he decided, before lunging forwards.

Todoroki narrowed his eyes, warding the murderer off with a burst of flame. "After getting Midoriya's message, I told my father," he said, and my eyes widened. "Pretty soon, even the pros will hit the scene."

I tensed at his words, following the Hero Killer's movements with my eyes. "Then we'll have to occupy him until the heroes show up," I said, moving to block the knives the Hero Killer sent flying towards Todoroki's left arm. The murderer narrowed his eyes at me, clearly realizing that I would defend Todoroki from any attacks, leaving the heterochromatic boy freedom to focus on long-range offense.

The Hero Killer jumped upwards, throwing a knife at Todoroki's chest while he was occupied using his flames. I moved forwards, turning to kick the knife out of the air. The murderer used that movement as an opening, lunging forwards to stab another pair of knives into my back, leaving the blades impaled in by my shoulder blades. He then leaped back to avoid the ice spike Todoroki made in my defense.

I grit my teeth, my arms hanging limply at my sides. He'd left the knives severing my tendons, so I couldn't use either of my arms. Todoroki was doing his best to attack the Hero Killer, using his flames and ice for long range attacks, but without my arms, I could defend him from anything. Like this, I was useless.

Using Todoroki's vulnerability, the Hero Killer snatched one of the pieces of his blade off of the ground, sending it soaring into the air. He jumped backwards shortly thereafter, and Todoroki followed him with a gust of flames. My eyes traced the path of the blade fragment into the air, before widening in horror. It was going to slam into Todoroki's skull.

I was moving before I could even finish thinking. I ran forwards, pushing off the ground and leaping into the air over Todoroki's head. I barely caught a glimpse of wide, blue and grey eyes before I felt something heavy slam into the back of my head. I flipped helplessly, slamming into the alley wall upside down, before plummeting towards the ground head-first. I looked down at the incoming concrete, body frozen. I hadn't thought I could die, with my quirk.

My eyes shut.

* * *

 _ **Answering Comments**_

* * *

Guest: yes, I post this story on Quotev as well. I actually originally started there before transferring this over, thank you for telling me though :) That is the only other place I've posted this story, so if you see it anywhere else it isn't me.

Birdy Ruskin: I actually agree with you, during the beginning of the story, I didn't do a good job explaining Ichigo's weaknesses so she does come across as a Mary Sue. This chapter is probably a good place to point some of them out. Firstly, I wouldn't say her weakness is "wanting to help people", its actually that her self-esteem is so shot that she doesn't consider _not_ helping them despite the risks because she devalues herself and feels responsible. As she grows stronger as a person, that will change, and I'll try to make that more clear when I revise the story. Ichigo is also bad at creating strategies under pressure, something I haven't gotten a chance to showcase yet. In the Sports Festival Arc and Battle Trial Arcs, she was given free time without stress to brainstorm before fighting. When that doesn't happen, you get scenes like what just happened above because she switches from being _pro_ active to _re_ active (aka Ichigo getting impaled in the head), along with some later incidents in the story. She is also very adept blowing things out of proportion and then holding grudges, which will be show-cased later on and was also seen with Izuku during the Sports Festival. I'm planning to rewrite the Quirk Apprehension Test/Battle Trial Arc and improve it soon, so I hope that those problems with the introduction and presentation of her character will be fixed. As for her intelligence and combat abilities: they're a way of evening out the stakes for her now, because her quirk lacks any offensive abilities. As the other characters become stronger, her advantage will grow lesser in comparison. She beats Shouto during the Battle Trial arc (and I'll try to make this more clear) because she knows about his quirk from the Quirk Apprehension Test and he doesn't know about hers. She wins because Shouto lacks information, and he does manage to subdue her with only a few hits when they clash. That's why Hagakure is the one that catches him. Thank you for your criticism of the story, I'll do my best to improve from here on!


	26. Episode 26: What's A Hero?

"ICHIGO!" Izuku screamed in horror, eyes wide in shock. He stared helplessly at the slumped form of his friend, sword blade embedded in the back of her skull. Her pale green eyes were open and unseeing, as she laid on the cold concrete on her side. "Ichigo…" Izuku repeated, eyes tearing up.

Todoroki was even more shocked. Kurosaki had just died… for him? He looked at her fallen form for a moment, before clenching his jaw, turning around as the flames of his left side burned even hotter than before. Ice crackled under his feet, creating a wall separating himself and the Hero Killer from Izuku and the others. No one else would die here tonight, not if he could help it.

Tenya's eyes were fixed on Ichigo as well. He was stuck in a state of disbelief. She was dead? His mind replayed everything he could remember of her. Ichigo fainting when he charged her, but accepting his apology with ease the next day. Ichigo hiding behind him after Mineta made a perverse comment. Ichigo battling Shiozaki, managing to walk off being impaled by vines through the stomach.

 _Ichigo rushed over to him, staring up at him with wide, concerned green eyes. "T-Tenya, I wanted t-to ask you about y-yesterday-!" she started._

He grit his teeth, eyes starting to water. Ichigo had tried to speak with him then, and he had cut her off. He had immaturely tried to take revenge on his own, and this was the result. She had tried to help him, and instead he had dragged her into what should've been his own battle. He stared at the shining, jagged blade sticking out of the back of her head. She looked a lot smaller now, even more childlike than before. Tenya hadn't fully realized how tiny she was, until she was lying dead on the cold concrete. She had died because of him and his inability to act like a hero.

Suddenly, the icy wall Todoroki had created shattered. A fragment of ice cut Tenya's cheek as The Hero Killer came flying through, soaring over the gust of flames a snarling Todoroki was chasing him with. The murderer was falling towards him, blades gleaming, only to be slammed out of the air by a streak of green. Izuku, teeth bared, landed beside Todoroki. He was only visible for a moment, before he vanished in another blur of color, appearing in front of the Hero Killer for only a second, hands grasping the murderer's shoulders and sending him flying.

The Hero Killer slammed into the ground, and Todoroki instantly froze him up to his neck. The ice continued to thicken, growing exponentially to ensure the murderer wouldn't escape. Cocooned against the dirty ground, the Hero Killer glared at them all. He struggled, but there wasn't any room to move.

Izuku grimaced, lifting his arms. "I overdid -" his voice cut off, as he stared with wide eyes at his steaming skin. The fabric of his sleeves had been shredded by the power he'd channeled to throw the Hero Killer, but his arms were completely repaired. Izuku turned towards Ichigo, bright green eyes sparkling with tears of hope. "She's alive!" He shouted, running towards her.

Todoroki's eyes widened. "She's alive?" He repeated, incredulous. Kurosaki hadn't died for him? She had somehow survived having a sword pierced through her brain?

Izuku grabbed Ichigo's shoulders, slowly rolling her face down on the concrete. With shaking hands, he gripped the blade embedded in her skull, and yanked it upwards. There was a moment of tense silence, where everyone in the alley stared at the gaping wound in the back of Ichigo's head. Then, steam started to rise into the air. Slowly at first, but quickly picking up speed as the stab wound slowly closed and healed shut. Izuku fell to his knees, hugging Ichigo's body tightly as he sobbed into her back. Todoroki looked away from the scene, shoulders slumping in relief.

Tenya, face down on the concrete, bit his tongue, shoulders shaking as he cried silently. How could he have ever thought he was a hero?

* * *

My eyes fluttered open slowly. My head throbbed, and I shut my eyes again, resisting the urge to swear. I had a monster headache, and the sounds of people shouting around me weren't helping. Curling in on myself, I covered my ears. I couldn't think like this, I couldn't even remember what had landed me in this position.

"Ichigo?" A quiet voice whispered in my ear. I groaned in response, wondering if I should slap Izuku for talking to me right now, or just roll over and die to escape my suffering. "Ichigo," he repeated.

I bit my lip. "My head hurts," I mumbled, feeling my brain shake with every word.

"Oh," Izuku said. His voice sounded odd, like he had been crying. I tried to open my eyes and look up at him, to see what was wrong, but then my head pulsed again, and I just curled inwards some more.

"... Why…?" I asked weakly, unable to convey my full question: why are you crying?

Izuku chuckled, and I frowned. He was crying and laughing at the same time? What was going on? Hands gently grasped my shoulders, and then my head was off the hard ground, cushioned by something much softer and warmer. "Just go to sleep, Ichigo," Izuku said, somehow managing to sound amused. "I'll explain everything when you wake up."

I briefly noted the steam tickling my skin, unable to remember why I was using my quirk, before I mumbled, "You better…" Forcefully relaxing my body, I willingly sank into unconsciousness.

* * *

I woke up to an unfamiliar white painted ceiling. Blinking the blurriness out of my eyes, I tried to sit up and see where I was. Hands hit my shoulders, trying to force me back down, and I reacted instantly. Grabbing the wrist and bicep of one of my attackers arms, I twisted my legs up and around, bracing their elbow on my knee and preparing to break their arm -

"Ichigo!" I froze, instantly recognizing Izuku's voice. I released my hold on his arm, lowering myself back to the bed slowly, crossing my legs in front of me.

I stared down at my feet meekly. "Sorry…" I apologized quietly. I noticed a faint sting in my arm, and glanced down at my wrist. There was a bloody cut surrounded by medical tape, and when I looked over to the side, I saw an IV drip with a freely dangling needle. I winced, realizing I must've ripped the needle from my arm when I attacked Izuku.

"It's fine," Izuku said, shaking his head. He looked at me in concern. "What do you remember?" He asked.

I frowned. "I escaped the evacuation area, met you, we went to find Tenya, and then - Oh…" My eyes widened. "Okay, I'm alive…" I said breathlessly, stunned. I had actually survived getting stabbed through the head. I wasn't sure if that was awesome or horrifying.

"You didn't know if you'd live?" A new voice interjected. My head spun around, and I stared in surprise at Todoroki. He was wearing civilian clothes, a green hoodie and jeans, sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair near my bed. I looked around, suddenly realizing where I was.

I looked to Izuku. "What hospital am I in?" I wondered, deciding to redirect Todoroki's question.

"Hosu General Hospital," Izuku answered. "Todoroki and I have been waiting for you to wake up, along with the Pro Hero that the Hero Killer attacked, Native. He should be back any minute, actually, he went to get food," Izuku glanced over to the door thoughtfully.

Todoroki leaned forward. "You didn't know if you'd survive when you blocked that sword?" He pressed, eyes focused on me. He clearly wasn't willing to drop the topic and move on.

I chuckled weakly. "W-well, if you c-could call that a _block_ ," I said, avoiding the question. When Todoroki continued to stare at me, I sighed. "No. And before you can ask why… I don't really know. I moved before I could think." Izuku's eyes widened at my words, seeming quietly stunned.

Todoroki nodded. "Fair enough," he agreed. "I don't think I would have survived last night without your help, so… thank you, Kurosaki," he said, looking very solemn and stiff.

I couldn't help the giggle that escaped me. "You know, I did kind of die for you, so you can call me Ichigo," I said, for once not rushing the words out.

Todoroki's eyes widened, and he sat there awkwardly for a moment before nodding slowly. "Okay then, Ichigo," he agreed. When he didn't say anything about calling him by his own first name, I coughed awkwardly, looking over to Izuku, the only normal person in the room.

"So… what happened after I fell unconscious?" I asked, hoping to kill the tension in the air.

Izuku sighed, sitting down, and I saw that he'd dragged his chair right up next to my bedside. "Well, shortly after you were… injured, Todoroki and I managed to capture the Hero Killer in ice. And then, Endeavor had directed some of the Pros over to our location, so they called the police and ambulances. You were the only one who actually needed medical attention, so you were brought here," Izuku shifted, twiddling his thumbs in his lap. "Uh, Todoroki and I came here a little bit later, and we've been waiting for you to wake up."

"You had a seizure, right before they got you on the ambulance," Todoroki added, eyes severe. "The doctors haven't been able to figure out why. Your brain had been reconstructed perfectly." I gulped, ducking my head. My quirk must've deactivated while I was unconscious then, and my body's reaction to the pain could be mistaken for a seizure.

I shrugged. "As long as it won't happen again," I said airily. Then, I realized something. "Hey… where's Tenya?" Izuku didn't answer me, keeping his eyes fixed on the floor. I looked to Todoroki, but he refused to meet my eyes as well. "Guys…" I started, prepared to begin interrogating them.

The hospital door snapped open before I could. I glanced over, and my eyes widened. Without his costume, the Pro Hero Native appeared surprisingly normal. The man scanned the room, and then saw me sitting on the bed, fully awake. His eyes widened. "Kurosaki! You're awake!" He shouted in shock. Then, he paused awkwardly. "Ah, sorry. You probably don't know who I am. I'm the hero who you guys ended up saving…" he explained.

I nodded evenly, deciding not to point out that Izuku had already told me this. "It's nice to meet you, Mister Native," I said. "My name's Ichigo Kurosaki… but I assume you already know that," I blushed, realizing that introducing myself hadn't been necessary.

"It's fine," Native said, smiling. "You weren't awake when I found out anyways," there was a long moment of silence, and then Native coughed. "Well, I have three breakfast trays. I can go down and get another…"

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it. I'm not hungry," I said. Izuku stared at me like I was insane, but I just smiled at him wearily. I honestly didn't feel like eating right then.

Native stepped fully into the room, and I noticed the wheeled cart he was dragging behind him. Shutting the door, he offered Izuku and Todoroki their plates. I tried to hide how nauseous I felt at the sight of food, and averted my eyes to the ceiling. Native sat down in the last empty chair, next to Todoroki, and ate his food in silence.

When their plates had been cleared, Native cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. "Since Kurosaki's awake now, this seems like a good time to explain everything. I'm sure you all know about the Misuse of Quirks Act," I gulped instantly remembering that specific set of legislature. People weren't supposed to use their quirks against others without licenses, or they faced serious repercussions. I didn't want to face those "serious repercussions" any time soon. "Ordinarily, this would apply, but I actually filed my report saying I gave you all express permission to interfere in the situation, so you're all protected under Clause Fifteen of the Hero Laws," seeing Izuku and Todoroki's bewildered expressions, Native chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Without all the legal jargon, that means you all won't get in trouble for helping me because I said that I told you to," he simplified. Both boys nodded in understanding.

I smiled appreciatively. "Thank you," I said gratefully. Then, I bit my lip. "Uh, has there been any press coverage of the situation?" I asked nervously.

"Not yet, although the police will be making a statement soon, announcing the Hero Killer's arrest and the capture of all the monsters," Native answered. "You'll probably be asked to attend the press conference."

I winced. "Great… there goes my chances of changing my hero name," I muttered, wondering how my incoming burst of fame would affect my future career. Izuku glanced up at me, startled, and I held my hands up in surrender. "I didn't think I'd actually get stuck with 'Hime-Hime' for the rest of my life!" I defended.

Izuku stared at me incredulously. "Midnight warned us that these titles would probably stick with us," he pointed out. "What would you have changed your name to anyways?"

"I don't know," I pouted. "Something cool, like 'The Immortal Hero, Hakuen'," I suggested sullenly.

"... Then why didn't you call yourself that," Todoroki said bluntly.

I glanced over at him with wide eyes. "Because Bakago's expression was priceless!" I protested. Native burst out laughing at our childish banter, and soon after Izuku joined in. I giggled along, noticing Todoroki smiling as well. I hadn't ever seen him actually smile before.

My stomach suddenly grumbled. Everyone went quiet. My cheeks heated up, and I ducked my head in embarrassment. "I really wasn't hungry, I swear," I said sheepishly.

* * *

That night, after Izuku, Todoroki, and Native had left, I sat in my hospital bed silently. The staff had said that they'd release me tomorrow morning, assuming there were no complications. Staring at the darkened wall of my hospital room, I listened to the familiar sounds of the active city streets below.

The door of my room clicked open, and I glanced over to see Mister Aizawa. It wasn't visiting hours, but I wasn't surprised that Mister Aizawa didn't care. I smiled tiredly. "Hey," I said.

Mister Aizawa slid the door shut, gliding into Izuku's old chair next to my bed. He stared at me for a moment. "I told you that you weren't ready," he said.

I shook my head, unrepentant. "Are y-you really going to tell me there was a better option?" I asked challengingly.

Mister Aizawa was silent for a long pause. "... plus twenty," he responded finally. I sighed, leaning back into my pillows and closing my eyes. That was probably the closest I'd get to him agreeing with my reckless behavior ever.


	27. Episode 27: The Aftermath!

I bounced out of my hospital room, feeling ecstatic. Yesterday, as thanks for my help, Native had done me an extra favor: paying the hospital bill. I had been extremely concerned about that, because I couldn't afford to pay for the medical care I'd received. I was so happy, I hugged the man, then apologized profusely for doing so. The Pro Hero fortunately took my behavior in stride, saying that he would look forward to seeing me again during the upcoming Press Conference before leaving.

As we exited the hospital once and for all, Mister Aizawa stared at me in deadpan, watching me dance my way through the halls towards the front exit doors. "You look ridiculous," he pointed out as we stepped through the automatic glass doors.

I grinned widely. "I honestly don't care," I announced, darting out into the sunlight. I twirled happily, spreading out my arms. After a few moments of enjoying the fresh air, I stopped spinning, still giggling joyfully. I inhaled deeply, and then turned back to Mister Aizawa. "So… where do we go now?"

Mister Aizawa sighed heavily. "Back to the hotel to pack our stuff, and then to the police station. There's two hours before the conference," he answered. I nodded, skipping over to his side.

"So? Let's go!" I chirped, resisting the urge to grab his hand and tug him forwards. Mister Aizawa sighed again, leading the way towards the car, and I hopped after him enthusiastically, finally having escaped Hosu General Hospital and to never return. Hopefully.

* * *

The minutes leading up to the Press Conference were nerve wracking. After reaching the hotel room, Mister Aizawa informed me that the Press Conference would require me being in full uniform. In other words, I had to wear "the costume" on television. I whined and complained all the way up the elevator, right until Mister Aizawa threatened me with _one thousand_ push-ups if another word left my mouth.

We drove all the way to the police headquarters in silence.

Squirming fitfully backstage, I reviewed how this was going to go. The head of police was going to make a statement about the Hero Killer's capture, along with the officers who had made the arrest and the pro heroes involved, including Native. Todoroki, Izuku, and I would be given credit for our involvement in the murderer's detainment, and then it would, in theory, be over. It was a simple, easy plan. All I had to do was stand there and look pretty.

Sitting on a metal bench behind the curtains, I could hear the journalists conversing on the other side. I gulped. Staying calm was easier said than done.

"Excuse me? Ichigo?" My head snapped around, seeing Todoroki. He was in his hero costume as well. "I was informed by Midoriya that after you asked me to call you by your first name, I should have extended the same offer," Todoroki said formally. "I apologize." The words were stilted and awkward, and I had to suppress the urge to giggle. Todoroki was just as bad at conversing as I was.

I waved my hand dismissively. "It's fine. So, I can call you 'Shouto' from now on?" I asked. "Or would you prefer I continue to call you 'Todoroki'?"

He shook his head. "I don't mind," he answered. There was a long, awkward pause, and then Todoroki sat down next to me on the bench. I caught a glimpse of Izuku's head peeking out from behind a potted plant, before the green haired boy hid again.

"So…" I started slowly. "You nervous about this?"

Shouto glanced over at me. "Not really," he answered. "This isn't my first time on television."

My eyes widened, and I face palmed. "R-right, I'm stupid. Your father's Endeavor, what was I thinking…" I shook my head, and then looked up at him. "Any tips?" I wondered.

"Don't answer any questions without permission," Shouto said bluntly. "The journalists will want to ask a million things. You only speak if you're told to by the people standing next to the camera men. Their job is to make sure you don't look stupid," he paused thoughtfully, before adding, "You probably won't have to talk though."

My shoulders slumped in relief. "That's good," I said. There was another long stretch of silence.

Suddenly, a man in an official looking black suit rushed up to us. He was wearing a headset, and gesturing to Shouto and I frantically. "You need to get out there now!" he urged.

I gasped, feeling panicked all over again. Shouto, with all the confidence I didn't have, strode towards the stage entrance calmly. Izuku was already waiting near the door, looking anxious as well. I hurried after Shouto, deciding to follow the only person who didn't look ready to keel over from nerves.

I glanced at Izuku as Shouto opened the door, more people wearing suits and headsets rushing around us. "This is terrifying," I whispered to him fearfully.

"Yeah," Izuku agreed, green eyes wide in fear. "All Might and Gran Torino didn't prepare me for this at all." I giggled, but didn't get a chance to respond before we were being ushered out on stage. Izuku and I hurried after Shouto, who walked over to the back left and calmly stood next to the Pro Heroes, who were gathered behind the Chief of Police as well. Lining up next to him, I resisted the urge to hid behind Izuku and disappear.

Kenji Tsugarame was a tall, intimidating man with the head of dog. His voice was deep and slow, and he exuded a presence that demanded respect. He extended a hand towards us, and I tensed automatically. "These are the three heroes-in-training credited with the Hero Killer's capture. Ichigo Kurosaki, hero name 'Hime-Hime', Izuku Midoriya, hero name 'Deku', and Shouto Todoroki. Through their brave actions, we managed to detain the villain," he introduced. "The Police and Pro Heroes thank them for their valiant efforts." Cameras started to flash immediately, and hands shot into the air. I bit my lip, straightening my shoulders and trying to hide how nervous I was.

Izuku glanced over at me, and he grinned reassuringly. I forced myself to smile back, reminding myself that this was all for show.

* * *

When the Press Conference finally ended, I returned to the backstage. Izuku, Shouto, and I sat down back at the same bench from before out in the hall. Exhausted, I leaned against Izuku arm. The green haired boy looked slightly startled, but adjusted quickly, allowing me to use him as a resting-post.

I closed my eyes, exhaling heavily. "That was so nerve-wracking," I muttered. "My hands are still shaking, jeez."

Izuku chuckled quietly. "You really don't like being the center of attention," he remarked, and I nodded tiredly.

"If you don't like being the center of attention, why become a hero?" Shouto interjected, turning towards Izuku and I.

I gulped, because that was a very complex topic that I couldn't fully explain without giving up several secrets. "I like helping people," I said simply, deciding a lie of omission wasn't too bad. "And as a future underground hero, my public exposure will be low."

Izuku frowned. "But then, what about hero rankings?" he asked. If I didn't gain popularity, I couldn't receive a rank during the annual hero success rankings.

"I won't be part of them," I said bluntly, shrugging. "Which is fine with me, I don't really want to be either." I squirmed uncomfortably, as Izuku and Shouto stared at me like I was insane. Just as I got ready to make an excuse and hide in the bathroom, Mister Aizawa entered the backstage area. He shuffled over to me immediately.

He scanned the three of us, sitting on the bench in our costumes looking exhausted. "You look ridiculous," he pointed out, and I cracked a smile. "Let's get going, our train leaves in an hour," he ordered, and I climbed to my feet. Mister Aizawa walked back towards the exit, not looking back.

I glanced at Todoroki and Izuku sheepishly, giving a short wave of goodbye. "See you at school," I said, before darting after Mister Aizawa. My mentor led the way out of the Police Headquarters, and I followed him closely, doing my best to avoid being trampled.

As he opened the back exit door, away from the chaotic front entrance where the Pro Heroes were still talking to journalists, I suddenly remembered something. Stepping into the parking lot, I looked at Mister Aizawa suspiciously.

"Where's Tenya?" I asked. Izuku and Shouto had both refused to answer me earlier.

Mister Aizawa didn't look at me. "Tenya Iida went home to his family. He asked permission for a two week break from school as well. He won't be returning until the week of the final exams," he said bluntly.

My jaw dropped. "H-he left? Why?" I asked, confused and scared all at once. Tenya had been my friend since the second day of school, and he was emphatic about his education. Why would he ever consider "taking a break?"

Opening the car door, Mister Aizawa glanced at me. His eyes were dark. "Ichigo, he went through a traumatic experience. Seeing your almost-death made him reconsider his ability to become a hero," he told me.

My shoulders slumped, and I climbed into the rental car defeatedly. As Mister Aizawa turned on the ignition, I muttered, "It's my fault, for not trying harder."

"No," Mister Aizawa disagreed. "Iida just got taste of what a real hero is, and wasn't sure if he could match up," I looked at Mister Aizawa with wide, confused eyes. I wasn't a hero yet, what was he talking about? Mister Aizawa sighed heavily. "Ichigo, most people aren't willing to die for someone else," he said.

I wrinkled my nose. "Not all heroes are put in those situations though. Besides, heroism is just an occupation now, it doesn't require anything more than a proper education and a license," I said, remembering the books and articles I'd read in the library.

"Some people don't just want to be heroes on paper, Ichigo," Mister Aizawa said solemnly, driving the car towards the train station. I frowned, not sure what he meant, and turned to look out the window. Being a hero was no different than being a clerk or a businessman. What I had done to protect Shouto had been reckless, but self-sacrifice wasn't part of a hero's job description. Why would Tenya leave?

If it wasn't my fault, then why go?

* * *

 _The other students in my class didn't like me. I accepted this early on. I was quiet and meek, the perfect victim for bullying. The children who bothered me either lacked confidence or were seeking acceptance, and I was an ideal target. That logical reasoning didn't help me deal with the cruel words they said._

 _"_ _Chomechome dresses like a boy," one of the girls sneered. I sat at my desk calmly, staring at my hands. My newly cut hair barely brushed my ears, my head and neck felt bare. I did my best to ignore the clique sitting a few feet away, hoping they'd lose interest and leave._

 _Another girl giggled, adding, "Maybe she thinks she_ is _one," I inhaled sharply at that comment, eyes widening. I ducked my head further, trying to hide my face from the world. "Oh, is that it?" The girl pushed, seeing my reaction. I covered my ears desperately, pressing my face into the polished wood of the desk. "Chomechome wants to be a boy, huh?" She burst into cruel laughter, and the other two girls tittered along._

 _"_ _N-no," I whispered, still able to hear their muffled laughter through my hands. "N-never."_


	28. Episode 28: Back To School!

I entered Missus' Yukihime's flower shop at around one o'clock in the morning. Using my silver key to open the door, I slipped inside with my backpack, not feeling the least bit tired. Strolling into the back of the shop, I dropped my backpack on the floor, deciding not to unroll my sleeping bag just yet. Sitting down at the small table in the back that doubled as my desk, I prepared to start the report Mister Aizawa would assign tomorrow about our internships.

My eyes widened when I saw the note sitting on the table. Leaning in to read the words in the dim lighting, I smiled happily. Missus Yukihime was proud of my success fighting the Hero Killer, and promised to take me out for dinner at the burger restaurant we visited before the sports' festival. Grinning, I folded up the note and laid it on the corner of my desk, before grabbing my notebook and pencil. I would try and go to sleep in an hour but… it probably wouldn't happen.

Luckily, Missus Yukihime had a coffee machine in her office. I'd just ask permission to use it tomorrow morning. Accompanied by the ticking of the clock, I wrote out my essay, then read it over and decided I didn't like it. Editing it with my pen, I scratched out sentences, replaced words, and then set about writing it again… and again… and again.

It wasn't until sunlight began peeking through the windows that I realized how long it had been. Mister Aizawa's nocturnal sleep schedule had taken its toll, and in the several hours that passed, I never once managed to sleep. I tried not to break down sobbing. I had school in a few hours, and I hadn't rested _at all_.

When the bell in the front rang, signaling Missus Yukihime's arrival, I came charging out of the back room despite my exhaustion. "Missus Yukihime!" I cheered, seeing the old woman's surprised eyes as I skidded to a stop in front of her. "It's so good to see you!"

Missus Yukihime chuckled, gently patting me on my head. "You came back early from Hosu, hm?" She said. "So, how did 'Hime-Hime' do?"

I wrinkled my nose, wondering how she would take this. "Well, there was a press conference yesterday…" I started, and Missus Yukihime's eyes widened. I tugged on my braids, feeling sheepish. "Yeah, um, so I might've helped catch the Hero Killer…?"

Missus Yukihime stared at me, silently stunned. Then she shook her head. "Child, how reckless can you get?" She asked, sounding both in-awe and exasperated by what I had done.

I grinned. "I don't know, I'm still trying," I answered, and with a laugh, Missus Yukihime strolled behind the counter. She crouched down, and came up with a familiar cloth and bucket.

"If you have time to be sassy, you have time to clean," she decided, and with a put-upon sigh, I took the cleaning supplies from her. Missus Yukihime pat me on the head one more time before heading into her office, adding, "Good job not stuttering, Ichigo."

I smiled as I wiped down the counters.

* * *

I got off of the bus, still grinning to myself. Even the unpleasant guy who always stared at me hadn't managed to ruin my mood. Tired as I was, I could finally return to school. Hopping over to the bus stop, I wondered if Ochako and Izuku would be there like usual, or if they hadn't returned from her internship yet.

My eyes widened when I saw not only Ochako and Izuku, but Momo and Shouto as well. Wondering what the heck was happening, I shuffled closer, very confused. Ochako, Izuku, and Momo were wrapped up in a conversation, with Shouto silently nodding along, so they didn't notice me until I was right next to Izuku.

"Uh, hey guys?" I greeted. Izuku spun around to face me, eyes widened and a screech of alarm on his lips. He relaxed when he saw it was me, cheeks turning red. I couldn't help but giggle at his expression. "Good morning, Izukun," I teased, as his blush turned even brighter.

Ochako laughed. "Geez, Icchan! We can't all be ninja like you, don't scare me like that," she said, hand over her heart. "I think my life just became several years shorter." I grinned cheekily.

Momo smiled brightly, giving a short wave. "Hello, Ichigo!" She said cheerfully, unaffected by my appearance. I waved back at her, happy to see my "intellectual conversations" friend present.

"Good morning, Ichigo," Shouto said, nodding. I nodded back at him, and then turned to Izuku.

I stared at him curiously. "So… what's going on?" I asked, confused why Momo and Shouto were at a bus stop that was probably out of their way.

"Uh, I told Shouto we walked to school together and he said he'd join us…?" Izuku answered, sounding slightly confused himself. One look at Shouto's impassive expression told me that any answer I got wouldn't be very informative.

Instead, I smiled at Izuku amusedly. "Shouto, huh? When'd that happen?" I inquired.

"Well, we're friends now, so…" Izuku shrugged.

"My habits are spreading!" I declared triumphantly, grinning proudly.

Momo coughed into her hand politely, and I instantly shrank back, cheeks turning red. She smiled gently. "My situation was similar. Ochako informed me, so I asked my driver to drop me off here instead of the Academy," she explained.

I nodded. "Th-that makes sense," I agreed, staring at the ground and tugging my braids in embarrassment. I was still adjusting to being more expressive.

Ochako slammed her hand on my back. "Chin up!" She ordered. "You were doing so well!" I choked on air, stunned by how hard she hit me, before nodding quickly. When had she gotten so strong?! "Great," she said. "Now, to Yuuei!" Ochako grabbed Izuku's wrist and began dragging him forwards, while Yaoyorozu chuckled and followed along.

I glanced to Shouto, who was trailing behind as well. I smiled at him nervously. "To Yuuei?" I repeated, still unsure of how to interact with the stoic teen. Shouto nodded, and I took that as my cue to rush ahead.

When we finally arrived at the school, I was feeling pretty ecstatic. Momo and Shouto had slipped into our friendship dynamic pretty quickly. Ochako, Momo, and Izuku walked ahead and carried on the conversation, I did my best to keep up while offering my input, and Shouto quietly trailed after, answering when questions were directed at him.

"Mount Lady's quirk isn't very realistic in a city environment actually," Izuku said animatedly, flipping through a notebook titled "Hero Analysis" and pointing at various bullet points. "Combat-wise gigantification is useful, but as soon as things get crowded she's limited in her ability."

Ochako protested just as eagerly, brown eyes lit up with passion. "Mount Lady does just fine though! As long as the streets are wide enough, she doesn't have to worry, and she sticks to spots where she can fight freely!"

"That's true," Momo agreed, adding to Ochako's defense. "Mount Lady also does an excellent job balancing her popularity with active patrol."

"I think that Mount Lady is a little promiscuous," I commented as we walked down the school halls. "Her attitude isn't very heroic either. What do you think, Shouto?" I asked, looking over my shoulder at the heterochromatic boy.

There was a small pause, and then Shouto responded. "When Mount Lady first emerged, she stole Kamui Woods credit," he recounted. "She also causes major damage to the city when she fights."

"That's right!" Izuku said eagerly, flipping through the pages of his notebook. "I was actually there when she first appeared," he continued, searching for the information.

Ochako jumped, staring at him with wide eyes. "Seriously?!" She gasped, grabbing his shoulders. Izuku looked up at her, startled. "What was it like? Was she awesome?" I giggled at the scared look on Izuku's face, stepping around the two to reach the classroom door. Holding the door open so Momo could step inside, I walked into the class, wondering what Mister Aizawa was planning to do today (beyond assigning the report I'd already finished).

I barely had time to look towards my desk, when I was interrupted by a hand landing on my head heavily. I froze. Bakugo leaned down, red eyes narrowed, to my eye level.

"So, Ichimi," he began, fake smile twitching. I gulped. "You fought the Hero Killer?"

I stared at him with wide eyes. "Y-yeah," I answered nervously, wondering why he looked so angry.

"You still owe me a fight," he pointed out, fake smile falling. His eyes were filled rage. "After school today, find the time. You got it?" I nodded frantically, slipping out from under his hand and rushing to my desk. Sitting in the uncomfortable chair, I tried to hide my shaking hands. Bakugo wasn't acting normal. He was more angry than before, his eyes looked more hateful. What had happened over the course of his apprenticeship that made him so infuriated?

Momo was standing at the front, and she clapped her hands together to gain everyone's attention. Conversations around the room stopped, as everyone looked up. She smiled cheerily. "I know that everyone is excited after the last week, but will you please sit down? Class begins in two minutes," she announced, taking over her role as Vice President. I bit my lip, feeling a sudden wave of guilt. Tenya wasn't coming back for another two weeks, if he came back at all. My shoulders slumped at the thought of him never returning.

Izuku, from his desk ahead of me, glanced back. His eyes widened. "Ichigo, are you okay?"

My head snapped up, and I pasted a smile on my face. "Yeah, don't worry about it Izukun," I said as my hands fisted my skirt.

The classroom door slid open, and Mister Aizawa strolled inside. "Good morning," he grunted, shuffling over to the podium.

"Good morning, Mister Aizawa," I recited faithfully with the rest of class. He looked as exhausted as I felt, and I remembered there was coffee in the teacher's lounge. I could probably make an excuse to get some.

* * *

Lunchtime rolled around inevitably, and I managed to beg Present Mic into giving me some more coffee before heading to the cafeteria. Slipping through the doors, I ran through my normal lines, then headed over to our table. I barely managed to smile at Ochako before plopping down into my seat and snatching my cup of coffee of my tray. I took several sips, staring morosely down at the black liquid.

A hand tapped my shoulder, and I flinched, looking back immediately. My eyes widened when I saw a series of familiar faces.

"Hey, Shinsou, Shiozaki, Tetsutetsu," I greeted, smiling happily. I placed my coffee on the table, standing up to face them.

Tetsutetsu crossed his arms, smiling lopsidedly. "Kurosaki, you gave us a heart attack," he said. "Tangling with the Hero Killer? Seriously?"

I giggled sheepishly, tugging on my braids. "Well, that wasn't exactly planned," I told him.

Shiozaki nodded. "We're just happy you are well, Kurosaki," she informed me seriously. "It would be a shame to lose a friend in such a way."

I smiled brightly. "Thanks, but you don't have to worry about me!" I assured them, holding up my fist. "With my quirk, death isn't in my cards anytime soon!"

Tetsutetsu laughed boisterously. "Too true!" He held out his fist, and I bumped mine against his. "Keep being a badass then!"

"You got it!" I agreed, and he and Shiozaki walked off towards their table. I now looked to Shinsou, who had yet to speak. "Is something wrong?" I wondered.

He shifted awkwardly. "I wanted to thank you," Shinsou said quietly. "After joining your team, and reaching the second round of the Sports Festival… I got transferred into Class B," he informed me.

I grinned, excited for my friend. "Really?! You did?!" I said, clapping my hands together. "That's awesome!" I cheered.

"Yeah, it is," Shinsou agreed. "But… I'm not as capable as the other students in combat, and I'm starting late in the year, so," He paused, taking a deep breath, before meeting my eyes with determination. "I'd like to ask if there's any way you can teach me hand-to-hand combat."

I choked in surprise. After a second of floundering, I asked dumbly, "wait, me train you?" Shinsou nodded, looking anxious, and I stared at him for a moment before regaining my senses. "I could, uh, try," I started, seeing his shoulders slump. "But I might have a, uh, better idea."

Shinsou straightened his shoulders, looking curious. "A better idea?" he repeated.

"Yeah. What if you - with permission, of course - joined in on some of my training sessions with Mister Aizawa?" I suggested. Shinsou looked excited, so I tried to caution him from raising his hopes too high. "Mister Aizawa is pretty, uh, demanding, so it may not work out, but there's no harm in asking, r-right?"

Shinsou nodded, clenching his jaw. "Thank you, Kurosaki," he said.

I smiled. "Don't worry about it," I told him. "But we're not going to finish lunch if we don't start eating soon, so…"

"I'll leave you to your food," Shinsou responded, smiling amusedly. He turned around, heading for the same table Shiozaki and Tetsutetsu were sitting at. I grinned happily at their friendship, before spinning on my heel towards the table.

Izuku, Ochako, and Momo all stared back at me. My eyes widened at their blank looks, before I slowly sat down, feeling awkward. At least Shouto was focused on his food.

"You're super nice, Icchan," Ochako said finally. Izuku and Momo nodded in agreement.

"Your actions are most admirable," Momo agreed. "Offering to share your knowledge is impressive."

I tugged on my braids. "Uh, thanks?" I said questioningly, wondering why they'd been listening into my conversation. I turned my eyes back to my food, focusing. "Can I eat now?"

* * *

When the bell rang, signaling the end of school, most of my friends immediately flooded out of the classroom. Mister Aizawa was the first person out the door, and I knew he'd be heading home to sleep before his nightly patrol, since we didn't have training this week. I sat at my desk timidly, waiting for what I knew was coming next. Staring at my lap, I clutched my skirt, hearing the other students leave in a flurry of conversation and footsteps.

Bakugo was quick to come over, once the others had left. "Ichimi," he said, and I raised my head an inch to meet his eyes. "Let's go. We'll use one of the training fields here." I swallowed, nodding slowly and standing up. Hands shoved into his pockets, Bakugo led the way through the halls, down the stairs, towards a familiar training field.

I stared at the open gate for the Broken City training field with wide eyes. I knew that many of my classmates came here after school to practice, and Mister Aizawa had made me free run here before, but the idea of open combat in the dangerous area was nerve wracking. The entire model-city looked like it'd been demolished by an earthquake, with knocked over buildings, piles of rubble, and shattered glass covering the cracked concrete streets. I gulped, following Bakugo inside.

The blonde lead me through several streets, finally reaching an empty city block. It was mostly clear of any wreckage, but there was still glass covering the asphalt. Bakugo spun around, eyes narrowed. "Here and now, let's go," he ordered.

"B-but what about our uniforms!" I protested, hands automatically grabbing my scarf and taking a battle stance anyways. "I don't have any tools beyond my scarf!"

Bakugo pulled his lips back in a snarl, taking his own fighting stance. "You didn't have your scarf during the Sports Festival. Consider it even," he declared, hands sparking. "Three, two, one, **_DIE_** _!_ "

* * *

A/N Before you can ask, Bakugo is pissed because this time around, Shouto, Izuku, and Ichigo got credit for fighting the Hero Killer, while he feels his time with Best Jeanist was wasted. He wants to fight Ichigo to prove he's still stronger. And Momo is more confident this time around because of her time with Gunhead.


	29. Episode 29: A Bad Day!

"Three.. Two.. One…" Bakugo counted, lips pulling back into an ugly snarl. I crouched as low as I could, trying to think up a plan. Grasping my scarf between my hands, I tensed as Bakugo's hands sparked viciously. " ** _DIE!_** " He screamed, lunging forwards.

I pushed backwards immediately, landing in a backwards handspring as Bakugo's hands slammed into the concrete where I had just been. The ground cracked from the force of the explosion, and I took my fighting stance again, eyes rapidly scanning the surrounding area. I needed something to create a distraction or build leverage, or Bakugo was going to kick my butt fast.

Bakugo narrowed his eyes at me, hands sparking. "Don't fucking run away!" He yelled, propelling himself forward with another set of explosions, foot racing towards my head.

I dropped into a pushup position, watching the blonde race only a few inches above me, feeling the heat of his explosions burn my back through my jacket. I reached out with my scarf to latch onto a iron rod poking out of the wreckage of a building only a few feet away. With a hard yank and a jump, I was flying through the air, using my scarf to scramble up the vertical surface and reach the top of the wreckage. The sound of an explosion from behind made me glance back, and my eyes widened as Bakugo flew towards my head. I couldn't react in time, before he grabbed my collar and hurled me towards the ground.

My back hit the concrete hard, and I instantly felt the air leave my lungs. My head and back took most of the force, and I felt a heavy throbbing from behind my eyes as my vision flashed white. Then, my quirk took over, and I was on my feet again, the familiar tickle of steam rising from my skin barely making my notice.

Bakugo was on the ground in front of me in moments, seething. He was practically shaking with rage, eyes narrowed into slits. "FIGHT ME DAMNIT!" He roared, charging me furiously.

I narrowed my eyes. Waiting for the right timing, I tensed my muscles, and then pounced. My hands gripped Bakugo's shoulders as I leaped upwards, using his body to turn around and flip mid air, neatly wrapping my legs around his shoulders from behind. Before he could react, I was wrapping my scarf around his eyes, blinding him.

Bakugo reached back, grabbing me with sparking hands, and flipping me over his head, slamming me into the ground. He pinned me with an arm across my neck, pressing his knee into my stomach to constrain me further. With his other hand, he grabbed my scarf and ripped the blindfold off his face. I tugged at his forearm pressing against my neck, struggling to breathe.

Bakugo leaned in, expression contorted by his anger. "You fought the fucking Hero Killer," he growled. "Fight me for fucking real, damnit!" He ordered.

"I didn't-!" I choked out, gasping for air. "I l-lost-!" I couldn't finish, unable to find enough oxygen to speak.

Bakugo lifted his arm off of my neck slightly, relieving the pressure. I inhaled deeply, desperately filling my lungs with precious air. The blonde glared at me. "Fucking what?" He demanded.

"I didn't beat the Hero Killer," I said, starting to understand what was going on. Now I could see the line of logic behind Bakugo's insistence on fighting. He thought that I'd grown exponentially more powerful during my apprenticeship, while he'd stagnated. "I got stabbed through the head by him," I continued, seeing Bakugo's eyes widen. "The only reason I'm alive right now is because my quirk repaired my brain."

Bakugo slowly pulled away from me, and I sat up quickly, scooting back several feet. I rubbed my throat instinctively, despite not feeling any pain. "The Hero Killer… fucking killed you?" The blonde asked, refusing to look at me.

I nodded unsurely. "Uh, I guess. I kind of jumped in the way while he was targeting someone else, actually," I answered. Bakugo eyes widened minutely, and I held my hands up in a gesture of surrender. "I had the best chance of survival!" I defended, before adding under my breath, "... plus, adrenaline is a wonderful thing."

Bakugo stared at me incredulously for a few moments, before letting out a loud huff. He shook his head disbelievingly, climbing to his feet. "Damn midget," he growled, dusting his pants off. "You're a fucking idiot."

"I'm not a midget!" I denied. "Although… I might be an idiot," I compromised begrudgingly. Bakugo smirked, and I held my hand out towards him. "Help me up?" I asked, hoping this would be the end of our problems.

Bakugo stared at me blankly for a few seconds. Slowly, he reached out and took my hand. I grinned, thinking he was going to help me up - right before he yanked me into the air, leaving me dangling helplessly from his grip a foot and a half in the air. "Don't fucking push it, Ichimi," he said warningly, before dropping me to the floor. I stumbled in surprise. "I'm not a damn priss like you," he continued, stalking out of the battle center, hands shoved into his pockets.

I smiled tiredly at his back, before leaning down to pick my scarf up off of the ground. As I did so, I caught a glimpse of my skirt and uniform shoes. They were covered in dust, dirt, and holes. Eyes wide, I searched my jacket and shirt, before letting out a groan of despair. I was going to have to get a new uniform, which wouldn't look good on my record.

* * *

I reached Missus Yukihime's shop an hour later than usual, wearing my new uniform. It had taken me longer than I'd thought it would to get a uniform from the office. I was exhausted from my earlier battle with Bakugo, and didn't really feel like doing _anything_. Unfortunately, I didn't have the luxury of lazing around, because it was my job to clean up the shop, and I took my responsibilities seriously. I didn't want Missus Yukihime reconsidering allowing me to stay, after all.

Dragging my feet, I opened the glass door of the flower shop, hearing the familiar chime. I hung my head, wondering if I'd be able to fall asleep tonight (probably, if I managed to stay awake that long). Shuffling through the front, I started to build a list of things I needed to do before I could sleep. It seemed far too long.

"Ichigo?" I flinched, instantly recognizing the speaker. I pasted a smile on my face, wanting my fight with Bakugo to remain secret.

I raised my head, forcing my shoulders back. "Hey, Shouto! Here to see your mother again?" I asked, trying to control the direction of the conversation.

"Yep," Shouto confirmed, somehow managing to convey his suspicion without changing his expression. I felt cornered already.

I grinned happily. "That's great! Want some more flowers then?" I added some pep into my step, slinging my backpack behind the counter, watching it slide into the back hallway. I then rushed over to the flower racks, hoping to end this interaction quickly. "Any specific message in mind? Or does she have a preference?" I inquired, scrolling through the different flowers and meanings that Missus Yukihime had taught me.

Shouto nodded. "My mother said that sunflowers were her favorite," he said, and I brightened.

"She has very good taste," I complimented, scurrying over to the sunflower display. "These can stand alone, so I don't think you'll need anything else," I continued, plucking several stalks out, and cutting them short. I grabbed the piece of twine from the side, and skillfully wrapped them together. I then walked back towards Shouto. "That'll be-" I cut myself off from telling him the price. "-nothing at all, actually," I finished, handing the sunflowers over. "Have a nice day!" I chirped, skirting away from him and behind the counter, fleeing into the backrooms. I could feel Shouto's eyes on my back as I speedily escaped.

Mentally, I calculated the expenses. Sunflowers weren't cheap, so I'd just lost fifteen dollars. I sighed, realizing I wouldn't be making any money today either. Talk about a bad day. I dragged my feet into the back room, collecting the cleaning supplies slowly. I'd have to worry about wiping down the counters and sweeping first, and then I'd clean the windows, and then I'd vacuum the back.

* * *

Several hours later, I wrapped up cleaning, shoving the broom and Windex bottle back into the closet with prejudice. My eyes burned, my head hurt, and I was relatively certain that if someone shoved me to the ground, I would fall asleep there. I felt horrible, but the shop was clean, so I decided to sleep now and shower in the morning.

Unfortunately, before I could tuck myself into my sleeping-bag and kiss consciousness goodbye, Missus Yukihime peeked her head out of her office. She looked concerned, eyebrows furrowed. "Ichigo?" She started, and I glanced back, half-asleep. "There's someone on the phone, asking for an 'Asano-chan'," she said, and my blood ran cold.

I was on my feet and awake in moments, flying from my sleeping bag and in front of her in moments. "Please give me the phone," I begged, and when she handed it over, I stepped into her office, holding the phone away from my face. "Can I close this?" I asked.

"Yes," Missus Yukihime answered, before pausing. "... Please be careful, child. I can't protect you from the police, and…"

I nodded. "I know," I said. "And I wouldn't ask you to risk yourself covering for me," I shut the door, turning sharply on my heel and stalking towards the desk. I pressed the phone to my ear. "Who is this?" I demanded.

"It's Miss Koharu, Asano-chan," The woman across the line said, and I inhaled sharply. The gears in my mind whirred, trying to reason out why my grandmother's oldest friend was contacting me now. "I know that you left months ago, and I wouldn't have bothered you, except…" her voice dwindled off.

I tapped my heel impatiently. Koharu had been my grandmother's next door neighbor for years, and I knew she was a coward. She had known exactly what was going on in my home - I had even asked for her help! - but she was so scared of losing my grandmother that she never said a word to anyone, even after I'd left. "Except what?" I pressed tensely, clenching my fist.

"Asano-chan, your grandmother is in the hospital," Koharu said, and my eyes widened. "She'd been having trouble recently… they diagnosed her with pneumonia," she continued sadly. "It's a severe case… they say it's highly likely she won't... _ever_ leave the hospital again."

I stared at the purple office walls blankly, unable to process what Koharu was saying. I had left my grandmother almost a year ago to pursue my own dreams. I hadn't ever truly considered that she would die while I was gone.

"She's dying of pneumonia…?" I repeated slowly, feeling suspicion creep up on me. "Pneumonia isn't deadly unless left untreated, Koharu. How long did you wait to call the hospital?"

Koharu's voice was thick with grief, like she was ready to cry. "Only a week or so! I mean, I suspected, b-but-!"

"You - you fucking coward!" I bit out, clenching my eyes shut. My hands shook, not with fear, but rage. "You didn't want her moved into a nursing home! You knew they'd diagnose her with Alzheimers!" I accused, anger burning in my gut. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" I roared, spit flying from my mouth.

Koharu was sobbing. "No, it's not!" She protested tearfully. "If you hadn't left, she'd be fine!"

I grit my teeth. "Don't make excuses!" I shouted, stomping over to the desk. "You didn't want to lose your friend! Well I hope you're happy, she certainly won't have to stay in a nursing home!" With that final word, hearing Koharu's crying through the phone, I hung up. I barely managed to keep from slamming the phone down on the desk.

I took a moment to breath, staring at the blank, black screen on the table. My grandmother was in the hospital. My head cleared of it's rage. My grandmother was going to die. I slowly lowered myself to my knees as the knowledge set in. I bit my lip, feeling my eyes start to sting. I covered my mouth, ducking my head as tears rolled down my cheeks, shoulders shaking from the force of my muffled sobs. I shut my eyes, unable to force myself to stop crying.

I had no clue what to think.

A soft knock on the door interrupted my crying. "Ichigo…?" Missus Yukihime called through the door. She sounded worried. "Are you okay?" She asked.

I wiped my eyes. "Yes," I answered. My throat felt tight and my voice was teary, but I knew Missus Yukihime would respect my privacy. I climbed to my feet slowly, hanging my head so my hair hid my red, swollen eyes. I opened the door quickly, rushing to my sleeping bag. "I left your phone on your desk," I said shortly as I darted past her, barely falling short of throwing myself into my sleeping bag. I wrapped myself up in the fabric, burying my face into my pillow, and forced myself to struggle at breathing.

It was easier to suffocate than cry. I had given too many tears to that woman already.

* * *

 _"_ _M-M-Miss Koharu…?" I knocked on the white door of my neighbor's house timidly. My male, middle-school uniform jacket felt hot and scratchy, but I knew better than to take off my coat. I'd head home soon, and grandmother always got concerned when she noticed my developing… breasts. My face heated up at the thought._

 _The door slid open, and my eyes shot up. Miss Koharu was an older woman with a wrinkled face and thick black hair. Her eyes were a soft blue, and I knew she had to have been beautiful in her younger years. When I was small, she had babysitted me sometimes, and she'd allow me to wear pink skirts and play dress-up._

 _"_ _Hello, Asano-chan," Miss Koharu smiled gently. "What's going on?"_

 _I bit my lip, fidgeting with sleeves of my black jacket. "I-It's a-about grandmother…" I stammered out. "I n-need y-your help."_

 _Miss Koharu's eyes widened. She stepped back, opening the door so I could enter. "Of course, Asano-chan!" She said. "Come in!" I rushed inside, heart filling with hope. Maybe if Miss Koharu could help me, grandmother could get the help she needed._

* * *

A/N I'm currently in the process of rewriting this arc and the Battle Trial arc, so if you have any suggestions on how I could improve, please tell me! Thanks!


	30. Episode 30: Smile And Wave!

I woke up thirty minutes later than usual, and couldn't muster up the effort to climb out of my sleeping bag and face the day. Staring at the ceiling, I tried to convince myself that going to school was necessary despite everything going on. I didn't want to face my friends today, and I didn't want to go to Yuuei Academy. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and tried to keep from crying again.

I wasn't sure how to feel. I was upset, sad, angry, and… relieved. I felt disgusted with myself for feeling relieved by my grandmother's state. I loved her because she was my family, but she had never been good for me, crushing me with the guilt and obligation of caring for her. In the end, she had chosen herself over me as well.

Missus Yukihime stepped into the room, so I opened my eyes and glanced over. She looked concerned, but also firm. "Ichigo, you have school in twenty minutes," she said decisively. "You told me it takes you ten minutes to get there, so you need to get ready and leave _now_." She left no room to argue, not that I would. I respected Missus Yukihime enough to get out her way.

Climbing to my feet, I grabbed my crumpled uniform off of the floor. Missus Yukihime left the backroom, and I changed slowly, taking my time pulling on my knee high socks and tying my beat-up black sneakers. I just couldn't find any urgency in me to rush out the door and avoid being late.

I traveled to school in a daze. I ended up missing my usual bus, and with my horribly slow walking pace, doubled the amount of time I normally took. By the time I was standing in front of Class 1-A's door, I was nearly an hour late. I laid my hand on the door handle, and paused. I took a deep breath, and straightened my shoulders.

My alarm clock hadn't been working this morning, and that was all anyone needed to know. I couldn't explain my situation without admitting that I'd run away - and no one was going to ever know that.

I slid the classroom door open, and the room went quiet instantly. Mister Aizawa stared at me from his spot in front of the board, clearly in the middle of teaching. I bowed to him, muttering a quiet, "I apologize for my lateness," before rushing to my seat, sitting as quietly as possible. Mister Aizawa stared at me for a moment longer before continuing the lesson. Izuku glanced back at me, looking concerned. I smiled at him shyly, shaking my head. "I woke up late," I whispered, and Izuku nodded, turning back to the front.

I leaned back in my chair, and forced myself to focus on Mister Aizawa. I needed a distraction right about now.

* * *

 _"_ _G-good evening, M-Miss K-Koharu," I stammered, stepping inside the familiar house. I reached up to impulsively tug on my hair, only to brush the shorn endings of my newly cropped locks. My eyes became watery all over again._

 _Miss Koharu bent down, blue eyes wide. "You cut your hair?" She observed surprised._

 _I shook my head frantically, hands balling into fists. "Sh-she made m-me!" I cried, breaking down into sobs. Miss Koharu kneeled down, wrapping her arms around me, and I sobbed into her shoulder. "Sh-she said th-that b-boy's don't have l-long hair!" I cried. "B-but I'm n-not a b-boy, M-Miss Koharu! I'm n-not!"_

 _Miss Koharu pat my back gently. "It's okay, Asano-chan," she soothed, tightening her arms around me. "I know you aren't a boy," she said. "Your grandmother's just having some trouble remembering that."_

 _"_ _She never remembers!" I bawled, pressing my face into Miss Koharu's shirt, soaking her shirt with my tears. "She never remembers me!"_

* * *

I didn't have any lunch credits left. I stalked out of the cafeteria, hands shaking with frustration. I had skipped breakfast this morning without thinking, and now I didn't have any credits for lunch either. I could sit with my friends, but they'd question why I had no food when I normally ate plenty. I didn't want to answer why I didn't have any money, not even enough to buy an apple to snack on. Choking down the curse words I wanted shout and the urge to attack someone, I turned on my heel sharply, ready to go hide on the roof.

It felt like the little life I'd built up was falling apart in my hands. I'd almost died, Tenya had left the school, my grandmother was in the hospital _dying_ , I'd wrecked my uniform fighting Bakugo, and now I couldn't eat lunch for the next three days. The universe had apparently decided to make my life it's running joke again.

Biting my lip, I told myself I wouldn't cry over something so stupid as missing lunch. As I marched down the hall, head down and shoulders shaking, I missed the suspicious eyes on my back. I wasn't as alone as I thought.

* * *

When I returned to the flower shop, I was tired and hungry. Walking through the door, I prepared myself for another day of cleaning, hoping I could beg Missus Yukihime into buying dinner tonight. Normally I skipped that meal unless Missus Yukihime decided to take me out to eat, but since I hadn't eaten all day it was my best shot. I could dip into the money I'd saved up, but I hated the idea of spending my emergency cash on food.

Strolling into the back, I opened the closet. Reaching in to grab the broom, I paused when I heard the phone ringing. Missus Yukihime, inside her office, immediately picked it up, and I shrugged, taking the broom out now that the ringing had stopped. Shutting the door, I decided I'd start with sweeping the back room this time.

Missus Yukihime opened her office door, face grim. "It's the lady from yesterday," she told me. "She wants to talk to you again."

I set my jaw, reaching out and taking the phone from her. "What is it?" I asked tiredly, not really wanting to hear whatever came next.

"I need you to come to the hospital," Koharu said, and I physically balked at the idea, dropping the broom. She rushed to explain. "Your grandmother wanted to see her son again, before she goes, and if you come then-"

I grit my teeth. "Then _what_? I can pretend to be Anmatsu?" I demanded, scoffing. "What will you do, Koharu? Cut my hair and bind my chest again? I don't look like my father anymore, Koharu, and I'm not going to pretend to be him again. Stop bothering me," I ended the call immediately, cutting Koharu off before she could guilt me further. I held the phone out to Missus Yukihime, jaw clenched and hand shaking. "Please ignore her if she calls again," I requested as she took the phone from me.

Missus Yukihime nodded, looking just as tired as I did. "I will, but Ichigo," she sighed. "Please don't do anything you'll regret later."

I nodded, glaring at the ground as I picked the broom back up. "I won't," I agreed bitterly. I wouldn't let myself get pulled back into Koharu and my grandmother's mess ever again, I had grown beyond it. Missus Yukihime kept staring at me sadly, and I bit my tongue to keep from yelling at her to go away, taking the broom and stomping out to the front. I'd sweep the shop first instead.

Growling under my breath angrily, I started cleaning up the front, collecting the dust into one little pile in the corner. It was particularly dirty today, so I knew I'd be there awhile. As I veritably attacked the dirty floor, accompanied by hissed cuss words and incomprehensible mutters, I was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

I forcibly relaxed my shoulders, pressing a smile onto my face as I turned around. "Welcome to-" I cut myself off when I saw Shouto, who looked rather serious. "Uh, hey, Shouto. What're you doing here?"

Shouto blinked, mouth setting determinedly. "Visiting a friend," he said, and I barely kept myself from reacting. Somehow, he'd known something was wrong, or I was just unlucky and he'd chosen the worst day to 'visit a friend' by coincidence. Both were perfectly plausible.

I loosened my white-knuckle grip on the broom. "I'm kinda working right now," I excused, shrugging sheepishly. "It's not the best time."

"I'll help," Shouto decided, and I bit my lip in frustration. I crossed out the "coincidence" option - he was here to find out what was wrong.

I shifted my feet nervously. "I d-don't think that's a good idea-" I started, trying to turn him away.

"Don't be silly Ichigo," Missus Yukihime interrupted out of nowhere. I spun around to see her standing behind the counter, smiling airily. "If he wants to help, he can, I won't deduct your pay," she said, ripping my excuse out from under me.

I clenched the broom tighter. "This is my job, customers shouldn't clean!" I protested vainly.

"I don't mind," Shouto interjected calmly. I wasn't going to get him out of here if Missus Yukihime was helping him.

Missus Yukihime clapped her hands together. "Then there we go! There's cleaning supplies in the back, just ask Ichigo about what to do," she said cheerfully, re-entering her office before I could make up another reason I didn't need help.

Shouto nodded, and then looked to me expectantly. I swallowed my anger with effort. "Follow the hall behind the counter, the first door on your left is the closet," I instructed. "Grab the duster, you can help with that," I decided, giving him the job I had the most trouble with. If he was so determined to help, he could dust the spots I had a hard time reaching. Shouto strode into the back immediately, returning with a minute with the feathery blue duster in hand.

"What am I doing?" he asked plainly, holding the duster awkwardly.

I gestured to the shelves lining the walls. "Go along the top of those for now. They're the places I don't normally get," I said, quickly getting back to sweeping again. Absorbing myself in my task, I finished sweeping the front, and then glanced up to see how Shouto was doing. My eyes widened in surprise. His hair was covered in grey flecks, and despite easily being able to reach the shelves, he was only halfway through. "Uh… what are you doing?" I asked, wondering if he was intentionally trying to cover himself in dust.

Shouto turned around, dust in hand, his eyes obviously irritated by all the dust in the air. "I don't know…" he said slowly, refusing to meet my eyes. "I've never done this before…"

I blinked in surprise, and then facepalmed. "Of course," I said, shaking my head. "You probably have a staff in your home that cleans for you," I walked over to him, taking the duster from his hands and laying it on the counter. I glanced back at his hair and giggled despite myself. "You should probably try to brush the dust off your head," I told him. "Why on earth would you offer to help me clean if you didn't know what you were doing?"

Shouto shrugged, reaching up to bat the dust out of his hair. He wasn't very successful. "I didn't know what else to do," he answered, and I bit my lip.

"You don't have to _do_ anything," I told him, crossing my arms. "I'm fine."

"The last time I didn't do anything, Hosu happened," Shouto said curtly. "I'm not risking it."

My eyes widened, and then I sighed. I leaned the broom against the counter next to the duster, realizing that telling Shouto to go away wasn't going to work. "There isn't anything you can do," I warned him, feeling my resolve crumbling. I wasn't sure what I could tell him, without divulging the whole story.

Shouto nodded. "Very well," he said implacably.

"My grandmother's in the hospital with a fatal case of pneumonia," I summarized shortly. "I just found out last night."

Shouto frowned. "Can't you heal her?" He asked, confused.

I bit my lip. "You need a license to use a quirk inside a hospital, along with signed consent," I explained, voice soft. "I have neither, and she's also been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, so even if I break the rules to heal her, she won't leave the hospital again."

"You're going to visit her soon, then?" Shouto said. "You should tell Izuku, he's been worrying nonstop."

I shook my head. "I'm not," I answered firmly, ignoring his widening eyes. "I don't get along with my grandmother, and I don't want to see her again," I said, trying to convince both Shouto and myself at the same time.

There was a long pause. "That sounds like what I told myself about my mother," Shouto said finally, and I flinched, feeling my lie slap me back in the face. "I won't take anymore of your time," he finished, and I glanced back over my shoulder to see him walking towards the door.

"Wait," I called, and he paused in front of the door. "... You won't tell anyone, right?" I said slowly.

Shouto looked at me solidly. "I won't," he said, before turning and stepping outside. "Have a good night, Ichigo." He shut the door, and it chimed softly. I watched him walk down the darkening street outside, until he vanished from the window.

I sighed heavily, chin falling to my chest. Missus Yukihime had told me not to do anything I'd regret… would I regret this?

Would I regret not visiting her? Or would I regret going at all?

* * *

 **Mailbox:**

* * *

KYUUBI KUROBA: I think that's part of the difficulty of Ichigo's situation. I didn't want to write a "regular" abuse scenario to explain Ichigo's anxiety and lack of self-esteem, because there really is no "regular" abuse. When family and real people get involved, things become complicated, and there isn't ever a _clear_ "bad guy". A lot of fanfiction writers default to 2-D physically abusive guardians just to create tragic backstories for their characters, and I didn't want something so simple for Ichigo, who I've tried to make as real as possible. That's part of why I decided to cover a less-common type of abuse: emotional abuse/neglect. It's less evidently harmful than physical abuse, but its effects are just as damaging, as can be seen with Ichigo, who was stuck pretending to be her father while the adults around her (who should have been _protecting_ her) turned their cheek. In the end, it created a scared, lonely girl with zero self-confidence or communicative abilities. So if you're feeling sympathetic for Ichigo, that means I'm doing my job as a writer right!


	31. Episode 31: A Child's Dream!

The next morning, I actually managed to arrive in time for the bus. I woke up, drank a cup of coffee, and told myself that I needed to get it together. I had Final Exams in two months, I had training with Mister Aizawa starting up again as of next week, and I had friends who were concerned over me. I had a life and people that cared about me, I was going to pull through this like I did everything else.

I sat down in the back row of the bus, against the windows, and took a deep breath. Looking at my reflection, I pasted a smile on my face. I could do this. I _would_ do this.

"Hime-Hime!" A happy voice chirped behind me. I glanced backwards, and my eyes widened at the sight of Michi climbing into the empty seat next to me. "You're a _real_ Hero Princess now, Miss Ichigo!" The little girl told me excitedly.

I smiled softly. "I guess I am, huh?" I leaned in, whispering conspiratorially, "Now you can tell all of your friends you helped name a superhero."

Michi gasped, eyes comically wide. "Really?!" She said excitedly. I nodded seriously, and she grinned like I'd just given her a million bucks. "That's so cool! I can't wait to tell Fumiko-chan and Kotori-chan that I gave Hime-Hime the idea for her superhero name!" She smiled, pressing her hands to her cheeks. "I wish I could help more heroes pick out their names! Wouldn't that be cool?!"

I grinned. "You actually could. Yuuei has a whole educational track dedicated towards people who support heroes," I informed her.

Michi nodded, crossing her arms. "That'd be cool, cause my quirk came in late and it's no good," she pouted, frowning down at her feet.

I bit my lip, slightly nervous. We were entering uncharted conversational territory. "Your quirk… isn't any good?" I repeated, confused.

"Yeah!" Michi bursted out, tossing her arms in the air. "It's just Minor Magnetism! I can't be a hero with that!" She shouted in frustration. Several people on the bus looked towards her at the disturbance, including her mother. Michi quieted immediately.

I smiled sympathetically. "You know, that may not be great for heroism… but you know what that would be really good for?" I asked. Michi looked up at me, eyes full of excitement and hope. "If you learned how to make machines, you could build support gear for heroes. You remember that girl with the pink hair during the sports festival? The one who helped the guy who had the ten million points?"

Michi nodded immediately. "Yeah! Her name was Mei Hatsume, I remember her. She had those really cool boots that let her fly!" As she spoke, she gestured with her hands someone soaring through the air.

I nodded, grin growing wider. "Yeah, she's part of the Yuuei Support Class, she actually _made_ those boots," I told her. Michi's jaw dropped, eyes sparkling. "I bet if you worked really hard, you could do something like that, and your quirk would be really helpful if you were building machines," I ruffled her red hair, seeing her smiling brightly. "And if you did that, you could help design heroes costumes _and_ help them capture villains."

Michi nodded vigorously, holding up her tiny fist. "That's a great idea! That'd be super cool!" She grinned at me, making a very familiar peace sign. I blinked in surprise, seeing her copy what'd I'd done so many times at the sports festival. "Thanks, Hime-Hime!" She cheered.

I smiled, holding up two fingers as well. "Anytime, Michi-chan," I said as the bus pulled to a stop. I stood up, patting Michi's head one last time. "I suggest you get back to your mom though, this is my stop," I told her.

"Right!" Michi agreed, pushing off the chair. "Bye, Miss Ichigo! Have fun at Yuuei!" she said, waving. I waved back at her, climbing down the bus steps.

Stepping down onto the concrete, I took a deep breath, smile still stuck on my face. I glanced back, as the bus rolled away, before straightening my shoulders and turning back to the bus stop. I spotted several familiar faces, and I walked over with all new pep in my step.

"Hey guys!" I chirped, sliding in between Izuku and Ochako.

Ochako jumped, surprised by my sudden entrance. She laid a hand on her chest, grinning happily. "Hey Icchan! You're still pretending to be a ninja, huh?"

I smiled smugly. "I have caltrops and can throw knives, I'm not pretending at _anything_ ," I joked. I wasn't lying either. Mister Aizawa did keep both our utility belts constantly stocked with caltrops, and I had learned how to throw blades (though not in the way Ochako was thinking).

Ochako's mouth fell open. "Wait, what?!" she said, bewildered.

Izuku laughed. "Morning, Ichigo!" He greeted, smiling sunnily.

I smiled back, happy to see that my friend wasn't as concerned about me anymore. "Good morning, Izukun!" I responded, then spun around to face Momo and Shouto. "Morning to you both too!"

Shouto nodded. "Good morning, Ichigo," he said.

"Indeed! I'm looking forward to the rest of our day," Momo added, smiling. Her eyes sparkled. "I heard we were going to be participating in one-on-one sparring today!"

Ochako held up her fist, aura suddenly growing dark. "I can't wait," she said determinedly. I laughed nervously, taking several steps back to hide behind Izuku. Ochako could apparently be very intimidating if she wanted to be. "Let's go!" She rallied, marching towards the school.

I fell back as Izuku and Momo immediately followed, taking my usual position trailing after them next to Shouto. Shouto, hands in his pockets, glanced down at me. "So, you made your decision?"

I nodded. "I'm going to see her," I declared. "This weekend, there's a train… I'll go and visit her in the hospital," I looked up at him, eyes narrowed. "And you can't tell anyone, got it?"

Shouto shrugged, looking forwards. "I already agreed," he said. I stared at him for a few moments, trying to see if he was lying, before facing forward, walking just a little faster than before. I probably should've thanked him then, but I didn't want to admit I'd been wrong.

* * *

 _I layed in bed staring up at the ceiling, water pouring down my cheeks. My eyes were swollen and stinging from how much I'd cried, but I couldn't make myself stop. "I hate this..." I whispered, fists clutching my dark green sports themed comforter. "Why did this have to happen to me? Why did I have to get stuck like this?" I tried to muster up anger at the words. I wanted to hate someone for what had happened to me. Blame myself, Grandmother, Koharu… I couldn't though. I just felt more sadness crushing my chest. I bit my lip, feeling fresh tears well up. "Why can't I be like everyone else?" I asked the empty room, words barely coherent through my sobs. "I want to be like the heroes who everybody cheers for! Nobody ever forgets about them. People aren't mean to heroes."_

* * *

I stood holding onto one of the metal bars, waiting for the train to stop. I'd already been waiting for the past hour for my stop, and my feet were becoming sore from all the standing and not moving. More than once, I'd caught people looking at me and muttering, but luckily no one had approached me. I assumed it was because the cameras had failed to capture how truly short I was, and they couldn't believe that Hime-Hime was a midget.

The train slid to a stop, and a smooth, feminine voice announced, "Welcome to Shibuya station." The doors slid open, and with a relieved sigh, I walked out of the train car. I took a moment to scan the surrounding crowds, before spotting the stairs leading up towards the streets. With a small smile, I started forwards.

I had memorized the pathway from Shibuya station to Shibuya Central Hospital, so with a few questions to random strangers and checking street signs, I managed to find my way to my grandmother's hospital.

I stood in front of the thirty story blue painted building. I could feel a heavy weight pressing on my shoulders, and something in me screamed that if I turned back now, I could forget about all of this. I closed my eyes, took a deep, steadying breath, and stepped forwards, walking through the automatic glass doors. The hospital lobby was crowded, people sitting in various chairs around the waiting area as the occasional person in scrubs went running past, clearly in a hurry to go somewhere.

Seeing the front desk, I walked closer. I pushed up on my tiptoes to see over the counter. "Excuse me?" I called, hoping the receptionist would notice.

She did. Glancing over at me lazy, she flicked her eyes back to her computer screen. "Children aren't allowed to be alone at the hospital," she said unhelpfully.

I frowned, and then forcefully smoothed my expression out. "Sorry, ma'am, I'm actually fifteen," I said. "I'm here to visit someone, her name is Mitsuki Asano."

The receptionist glanced down at me, surprised. She took a second to stare at me suspiciously, before quickly typing something into her computer. "Yeah, there's a patient here under that name, but she's not accessible. What's your relation to her?"

I swallowed. "I'm a family friend," I told her. "Uh, there's a woman who's probably in charge of Miss Asano, uh, Koharu Oshiro? Can you contact her so she can allow me in?" I requested.

The receptionist scanned the computer screen, searching for something, before reaching for her phone. "One moment," she said, pressing the device to her ear. "Hey, it's Manami at the front desk. Yeah, I've got a kid who wants to visit patient 2034. Can you ask Koharu Oshiro if she knows anyone by the name of…" The receptionist looked at me questioningly.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," I supplied, and watched her eyes widen.

"Ichigo Kurosaki?" The receptionist repeated, looking stunned. There was a long pause, and then she continued, "Right, I'll print out a guest pass. Okay, thanks," she finished, hanging up the phone. She stared at me disbelievingly. "You're Ichigo Kurosaki? As in the up-and-coming hero, Ichigo Kurosaki?"

I grinned sheepishly, surprised despite myself that she'd recognized my name so easily. "Yeah, pretty much," I confirmed. "Uh, about that guest pass?"

"Right! One second," The receptionist said, rapidly smacking her keyboard. The machine on her desk made several loud noises. "I'm going to need to take a picture of you, please stand on the white 'x'," she asked. I quickly moved to stand on the spot she'd pointed out, and one blinding flash of light later I was holding a paper sticker with my name and face on it, along with the word "VISITOR" printed across the top in all bolded caps. "Please stick that pass to your shirt or somewhere visible, Mitsuki Asano is on floor five, room 347."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said gratefully, turning towards the elevators.

"Wait!" I paused, turning back curiously. The receptionist was smiling, cheeks tinged pink. "Would you mind signing this for me?" She asked, holding out a pen and sheet of paper.

My face heated up, shocked that an adult was asking for my signature. I stepped back and took the pen from her hands. "Ah, s-sure," I agreed, stammering from surprise.

* * *

I walked down the quiet, empty hallway. I had passed a nurse several rooms back, rushing past me with a cart full of medications. I tried to ignore the occasional moan of pain, as I headed towards my grandmother's room. When I finally reached the light green door, I made sure to double check the number plate. I refused to believe I was trying to delay opening the door.

With a shaking hand, I reached out and grabbed the handle. Taking a deep breath, I turned my wrist and pushed it open. The room was dim, most of the light coming from between the curtains on the far wall. There was a low couch underneath that window, and only a few feet away was an immaculate hospital bed. Laying on it, with grey, papery skin and hooked up to far too many machines, was my grandmother. Her grey hair was fanned out around her, eyes shut, with tubes running through her nose towards a respiratory machine. The steady beep of the heart monitor was the only reason I knew she wasn't dead yet.

I shut the door behind me quietly, taking faltering steps over to the couch on the other side of the room. I sat down heavily, eyes fixed on my grandmother's pale, comatose body.

Suddenly, the door flew open again. My head shot up, eyes widening at the sight of Koharu. She had aged well, black hair pinned up in a bun atop her head. Her wrinkled blue eyes were faded with age, lacking the shine they'd had when I was child. She was wearing a rumpled purple skirt and white blouse, clearly having been staying at the hospital for some time now. She stared at me, equally shocked to see me.

I pried my eyes away from her, focusing on my grandmother. "Hey, Koharu," I said quietly, hands clenching the front of my jeans to keep from shaking.

"Asano-chan…" Koharu whispered breathlessly. She visibly swallowed, before slipping into the room, door shutting behind her. She walked closer to me, halting at the foot of my grandmother's bed. "You actually came," she sounded disbelieving.

I refused to cry or scream. "I'm not here for you," I said firmly. "I'm here for me, to make peace with all of... _this_."

Koharu nodded, head hanging. She was a shell of the woman who'd helped raised me, I realized. "I didn't think you'd forgive me," she said sadly. "I wouldn't deserve it."

"You don't," I agreed coldly, feeling my eyes well-up traitorously. I bit my cheek hard enough to taste blood, forcing the stinging from my eyes.

Koharu laughed, and I saw the tears in her eyes. "I'm glad you're here though," she looked at my grandmother wistfully. "Mitsuki always adored you," she said softly.

"She might have, when she remembered," I said stiffly, unable to act politely in the presence of Koharu.

Koharu's shoulders stiffened. "I really hope you don't believe that," she said, voice choked up. "Mitsuki always put her family first. She adored you, you were all she ever wanted to talk about. When she found out she was going to be a grandmother…" she laughed brokenly. "You couldn't have imagined her smile," she looked at me, eyes shining. "You have her smile, you know. Just like your father, too."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I wish I could've seen it," I responded finally, looking at the floor uncomfortably. How else could I respond?

"If - If you could visit her again, maybe when she's awake…" Koharu started.

I bit my lip. "Contact me if she wakes up, you already tracked me down once," I told her. "Speaking of which, the next time you call my employer in an attempt to talk to me, I'll make you regret it," I warned. It wasn't an honest threat, there wasn't anything I could really do to her, but it got my point across.

"Then how else can I reach you?" she asked helplessly. "You know how my quirk works, Asano-chan. I just saw that phone number on the wall where you were working."

I clenched my fists indecisively. "I have an email account, you can use that," I told her. I reached over to my grandmother's bedside table, scrawling out my email dress sloppily. "I check it daily," I continued, ripping the paper off the notepad and holding it out. "But if you contact me for anything beyond her condition I'll block you."

"I understand," Koharu said, taking it from my hand. She paused, before slowly adding, "I truly am sorry for the pain I caused you."

I stared at the floor, eyes stinging again. "You lied to me, when I asked you for help. You told me she'd get the help she needed," I said angrily. I raised my chin proudly, glaring at Koharu with watery eyes. "You should feel sorry," I told her, striding towards the door. "Don't contact me again unless she wakes up. And if you get any stupid ideas about helping me," I paused, struggling to keep my voice from wavering. "Know that I am so much fucking better off where I am now than I ever was with you."

"I know, Asano-chan," Koharu said sadly.

The first few tears fell out of my eyes, and I turned my face away from her as I opened the door. Koharu didn't deserve my tears. "It's Ichigo," I said, stepping out of the room and slamming the door shut behind me. I took a few seconds to wipe my eyes, inhaling and exhaling rhythmically. Then, I stood up straight and walked back down the hallway, jaw clenched firmly.

I couldn't say I'd made the correct decision, coming here, but I wouldn't let Koharu or my grandmother hold me back ever again. I'd face them, and grow beyond them. I was going to be a hero, after all.

Plus Ultra, right?


	32. Episode 32: Prepare For The Exams!

"The Final Exams are next week," Mister Aizawa announced bluntly. "There'll be two parts: the paper test, and the practical," he narrowed his eyes. "Based off of your midterms, those of you who need to study know who you are. We'll be having a summer camp over the break-" Excited gasps and mutters broke out, and Mister Aizawa raised his voice impatiently. "Those of you who don't pass don't get to go." The excitement immediately died. "That's all," Mister Aizawa finished, shuffling out of the room. I smiled wearily and shook my head, I wasn't surprised by his style of dropping a bomb and then leaving.

As soon as the door shut, Ashido and Kaminari burst out in unison, "I didn't study at all!" Ashido started laughing, hands up behind her head casually, while Kaminari hung his head, exuding an aura of doom.

I ignored them in favor of a more urgent topic, turning in my seat to face Momo. "Back to what we were discussing before," I started, eyes narrowed. "Hamlet is obviously the best! I can't believe you're arguing this!" I declared, arms crossed defensively.

Momo raised an elegant eyebrow, steepling her hands on her desk. "You're very passionate about this, Ichigo," she observed. "But I maintain my statement: Romeo and Juliet was better than Hamlet."

"How can you say that?!" I demanded incredulously. "Hamlet is literally where Shakespeare's most famous lines came from! 'To be or not to be, that is the question'!" I gestured with my hands emphatically as I spoke, determined to make Momo see the error of her ways. "Not to mention its themes are something that remain understandable to this day, unlike Romeo and Juliet, which's plot of romance between fourteen year olds of opposing families isn't nearly as well translated into modern times. Hamlet was also remade by _Disney_ in the movie the Lion King," I sat back in my seat. "And it touches on more in depth topics than petty romance," I sniffed.

Before Momo could respond, we were interrupted by Kaminari appearing between us, eyes wide and panicked. "How can you guys be arguing about movies at a time like this?!" he demanded. "The Final Exams start next week!"

"We're debating Shakespearean Literature, actually," I corrected him. "And I think I'm prepared for the midterms."

Ashido suddenly leaned over my shoulder, smiling mischeviously. "Oh really? I know you got the top score in the class… but how well _did_ you do?" she placed her hands on my desk, eyes focused on me.

I ducked my head, wondering how my classmates would receive my scores. I didn't want to be pegged a braggart, after all. "I, uh… got perfect scores," I answered nervously, swallowing. "On everything."

Ashido and Kaminari's jaws dropped, and they stared at me with eyes as wide as dinner plates. I coughed, trying to hide my rapidly reddening cheeks with my bangs. My stomach fluttered anxiously, hoping they wouldn't become upset.

Momo chuckled, cutting through the awkward silence. "Ashido, Kaminari, if you're having difficulties studying for the Final Exams, I wouldn't mind offering my assistance," she interjected smoothly. "I may not have perfect scores, but I also did very well on the midterms and wouldn't mind helping you prepare."

Ashido turned to Momo, eyes sparkling. "Yaomomo!" she squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly. "Thank you so much!"

"Please help us, Yaomomo," Kaminari said, bowing to Momo like she was some sort of god. I leaned away from them, slightly disturbed by their worshipping Momo's presence.

Izuku stepped forward, holding up his fist. "I hope you guys study well!" he cheered, smiling excitedly. "Let's all do our bests, right?"

"They wouldn't have so much trouble if they paid attention in class," Shouto commented from behind Izuku, killing the brightening mood apruptly.

Kaminari pressed a hand over his heart dramatically. "Be - be careful with your words," he whispered faintly, expression bleak.

I grinned at Izuku and Shouto from my desk, relieved for the distraction. "You guys think you're ready for the exams?" I asked cheerfully.

"I think so," Izuku said, looking down worriedly. "I mean, there's still a lot I want to review before the test so I can make sure I'm ready-"

"I'm prepared," Shouto interrupted confidently. I grinned and gave him a thumbs up, as Izuku continued to mutter in the background, clearly lost to the world.

Jirou, Ojiro, and Sero approached Momo next, looking sheepish. "I'm not one of those two, but... can I get some help as well?" Jirou requested, despite having been eighth in the exams.

"Yeah, me too…" Ojiro agreed apologetically, scratching the back of his head.

Sero clapped his hands over his head. "Mind helping me with Japanese Literature?" he requested eagerly.

Momo smiled at them all, eyes shining. "I would be honored to help you all!" she cheered, popping onto her feet excitedly. "I shall ask mother to open up the Great Hall for our studying!"

I blinked in surprise at the words "Great Hall". I glanced over to Izuku. "Momo's pretty popular, huh?" I observed, jerking a thumb over at the excited girl talking about tea preferences.

Izuku nodded. "Yeah, she's an excellent student though, so it's not surprising," he looked at me appraisingly. "I didn't know you got a perfect score on the midterms."

I grinned sheepishly, cheeks flushing again. I directed my eyes to the ceiling. "I didn't want to brag about it, so I didn't mention it," I explained quietly.

"It isn't bragging," Izuku assured me, smiling brightly. "You deserve to be proud of yourself. A perfect score is pretty awesome!" He paused for a moment, then added, "I was actually wondering if you wouldn't mind helping me study…"

I stared at him in confusion. "I wouldn't mind at all, but why do you need my help?" I responded curiously. "You got the fifth highest score on the exams in the class."

"There's always room for improvement, and you didn't miss anything," Izuku said, holding up a clenched fist with determined eyes.

Ochako showed up out of nowhere between us, looking excited. "Does that mean we're having a study party? Can I come too?" she begged.

"Ah, it's at Izukun's house, right?" I asked, and Izuku nodded. "Is that okay with you…?"

Izuku grinned. "It's fine!" he confirmed, and Ochako gave him a high five. "I'll ask my mother about it tonight, when are you guys free?" Izuku continued, flipping out his phone.

I smiled, relaxing into my chair. "I can make free time whenever," I said. "Mister Aizawa doesn't mind me taking breaks as long as I ask ahead of time… he actually says I overwork myself."

Ochako leaned over Izuku's shoulder to peek at his phone screen as he typed. "I can meet up Thursday or Friday," she informed him.

Izuku nodded thoughtfully, staring at his phone. "I think Friday is the best idea," he agreed. "We can come from school to my house directly and start studying," he looked up nervously. "If that's okay with you both?"

"It's fine with me!" Ochako agreed, bumping her shoulder against Izuku's, who immediately became flustered.

I smiled and nodded. "Sounds good!" I confirmed, before giggling over Izuku's embarrassed mutters as he tried to justify his blushing to Ochako.

* * *

I stuffed my mouth with rice and steak happily, very much enjoying my lunch. At my side, Momo was watching my antics in bemusement. Shouto and Izuku were quietly conversing off to the side, with Ochako inserting her own bubbly comments when she felt like it.

Momo smiled, wiping her mouth politely. "Do you have any hints about the exams, Ichigo?" she asked. I started slightly, startled by the question. Then, a slow smile spread across my face.

"Are you asking if Mister Aizawa allowed me access to the administrative paperwork?!" I gasped with faux horror. "That would be a most egregious violation of school policy!" I looked back to my food, grinning smugly. "But if I had, maybe, seen the files on his desk while helping grade homework yesterday - hypothetically, of course - I could've seen that we'd be working in teams in a combat scenario. If I had looked," I asserted, quickly stuffing my mouth with food again.

Momo nodded. "I will keep your hypothetical scenario in mind," she said, taking a small bite of her own food.

Ochako leaned in from across the table, smiling brightly. "It's nice being friends with someone on the inside," she said, offering me a thumbs up. "Thanks, Ichigo!"

"Thanks for what?" I asked, blinking innocently. "I told you nothing," I said, determined to at least have plausible deniability on my side.

Izuku opened his mouth to say something, but before he could he got elbowed in the head. His hands instantly snapped up to cover the sore spot, and we all turned to see Monoma, from Class B.

"Sorry," Monoma simpered, holding his tray. "Your head was so big, I couldn't get around it," he insulted. I narrowed my eyes at him, but before I could speak, the blonde continued. "You encountered the Hero Killer, I heard! You Class A kids really are trouble magnets, huh?" Monoma grinned, expression eerie. "It's scary for everyone else, you know? It's like you've been cursed, and maybe one day the rest of us will get caught in your bad luck and-"

He never finished, because a red headed girl with a long ponytail and disappointed expression came up behind him, and karate chopped him on the back of the neck. Monoma dropped to the ground immediately, and Kendou stood there holding his tray. "That's not funny, Monoma," she scolded, hauling his unconscious body up by his collar.

"Thanks, Kendou!" Ochako cheered, smiling at the Class B student.

Kendou smiled sheepishly. "Sorry about him, but you know how it is, his heart is…" her voice dwindled off, as she laid Monoma's food tray on the empty table next to us. I glared at the blonde frustratedly. The Hero Killer Incident wasn't something to mock, I had almost died! Kendou faced us again, and I straightened my expression out. She smiled apologetically. "Anyways, I heard you guys talking about the final exams earlier," she said. "I talked to one of the upperclassmen, and they said we'd be fighting robots."

My eyes widened. "Robots? Then why are they creating teams?" I asked myself, surprised. Shouto alone could dominate an entire field of 0-pointer robots. Allowing us teams would be… well, it'd be like offering those robots up for slaughter. Yuuei Academy had plenty of money to burn, but I doubted that Principal Nezu was _that_ wasteful.

Kendou laughed at my surprised expression. "That's what I heard, yeah," she confirmed.

Monoma pushed himself off of the ground shakily. "Are you stupid, Kendou?! You just threw away our hard earned intelligence advantage," he accused angrily. "This was out chance to get ahead of the detestable Class 1-A-!" he was again interrupted by Kendou's hand slamming into the back of his skull. The blonde fell forward again like a marionette with cut strings.

"I told you, we don't detest them," she reprimanded, picking Monoma's tray up again. Kendou grinned at us over her shoulder. "Good luck with the exam!" she finished as she left for her table, dragging the blonde deadweight behind her.

I huffed irritably, mental cogs spinning. "Against robots in teams…?" I repeated disbelievingly. "We're missing something… there's no way they'd make it that easy," my eyes widened. "Wait! They wouldn't make the test the same for every year, would they?! We can't be fighting the robots!" I protested.

Momo shook her head. "I believe you are overthinking this, Ichigo," she said. "Information gathering could be a part of the exam, but we should be prepared for challenges beyond the robots regardless."

Izuku nodded in agreement. "We have a week to prepare," he said optimistically. "I'm sure we can be ready for whatever's next!"

I stared at him disbelievingly. I'd had a week to prepare for the Hero Killer too. Let's review how that turned out: Me, on the ground, with a sharp metal object stuck through my skull. I shivered, filled with a sudden, ominous feeling. Izuku had just jinxed me for the exams, I could feel it.

* * *

"Mister Aizawa…?" I started, poking my head into the teacher's lounge. The room looked empty, but I heard a tired grunt from the couch. Stepping inside, I shut the door behind me, quietly walking around the couch. Mister Aizawa was laying on the grey cushions, wrapped up in his yellow sleeping bag, with his eyes closed. "Uh, Mister Aizawa?" I repeated, seeing him looking half-asleep. "Should I come back later?" I asked.

Mister Aizawa frowned, eyes still shut. "I'm awake, ask your questions," he said irritably.

I tugged on my braids nervously. "I thought you said Tenya would be back a week ago…" I said. "Is he not returning…?" I questioned, feeling dread pool in my gut.

"He requested an extension, he'll be back in time for the test," Mister Aizawa answered shortly. "Now go do whatever things you kids do and let me sleep," he ordered.

I nodded, smiling gratefully. "Right, thank you! Sleep well!" I said, scurrying out the teacher's lounge. All I heard was a half-hearted grunt before the door shut. I was so busy hurrying out of the room, I missed the open file folder on the coffee table with my, Bakugo's, and Shouto's faces on it.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **Sumiiana:** Thank you for the compliment! I actually will be starting up a regular update schedule for this story soon. A new chapter every Monday and Thursday. I'm just trying to build up enough content for some wiggle room in case I miss a week and don't manage to finish a chapter in time. The regular updates will begin April 30th :)

 **GreenDrkness** : Forcing someone to fake their identity never ends well, you're totally right. In this case, it ended with a broken family, an emotionally unstable and insecure young girl, and a potential casualty list. I tried to make this situation as realistic as possible in that there's no real "villain"... but Koharu does kind of suck, you're right. She has her reasons, but just because someone is understandable doesn't mean they're right. I'm glad you picked up on that :) And as I said in the response above, I will be continuing to write, I'll actually have a regular update schedule pretty soon. Thank you!


	33. Episode 33: Study Party!

I fidgeted in front of the Midoriya home's front door. The apartment was in a quaint little building in a nice part of town, with neatly maintained halls and white painted walls. I couldn't have felt more out of place. I'd never had friends homes to visit before. Was there a specific protocol? What if Miss Midoriya hated me? Would I get kicked out? My palms were sweaty as I reached out and rang the doorbell.

The door swung open almost immediately, and Ochako was standing there with a wide grin. "Come in!" she urged, grabbing my wrist and tugging me inside eagerly. I stumbled, the door slamming shut behind me as Ochako pulled me through the foyer, barely giving me enough time to kick off my shoes.

The Midoriya's had a small living room/kitchen area, with a full dining table already filled with bowls of chips and popcorn. Izuku was sitting at said table, hurriedly scrawling away on his notes.

"Izukun, Icchan's here!" Ochako declared, dragging me over to the table and pushing me into one of the chairs. I flopped down limply, unresisting, as Ochako took the seat next to me.

Izuku lifted his head, surprised. He smiled at me brightly. "Hey, Ichigo! You're just in time," he looked back down at his paper. "Uh... think you can help me with this?" he asked.

I shook my head, overcoming my fear enough to lean forward and peek at the paper. "What is it?" I questioned curiously, trying to read the problem.

"It's the one for the parabolas, finding the x coordinates," Izuku said. "The quadratic formula is difficult to remember…" he muttered, staring at the paper.

I grinned, glad his problem was something I could help with. I dragged my chair over to him, snatching the pencil out of his hand. "Okay, there is an easier way to do this. So, there's only two ways a parabola can be presented, 'y=ax^2+bx+c', and 'y=a(x-h)^2+k', right?" I started, writing down the specific formulas. "In this case, your equation is…" I glanced at the paper. "'y=(x-3)^2-4'. So you already have the vertex of the parabola, (3,4), or the (h,k). I did some research in the library and found a simplified version of the quadratic formula that uses (h,k) to calculate the x intercepts. It's x = h +/- the square root of -k/a," as I spoke, I wrote down the new formula. "Try that."

Izuku stared at me for a long moment, then took the pencil from my hands and entered the numbers into the equation. A few moments and the press of a calculator's buttons later, he blinked in surprise. "So x = 1 or 4?" Izuku read aloud, eyes wide. "But that's way easier - why didn't Mister Aizawa show this in class?" he wondered.

"It isn't educational standard," I informed him, sitting back. "Any more questions about quadratics?" I asked. Izuku shook his head, turning back to his paper and muttering under his breath as he tested the new formula I'd shown him.

Ochako grinned from across the table. "You're actually good at explaining things, Icchan," she observed.

I shook my head. "No, you guys already know most of this," I disagreed. "I'm just offering alternative methods for what you've already been taught."

"Speaking of which, how much research do you do?" Ochako asked, amused smile on her face. "You always seem to know little facts about everything."

I shrugged. "I don't have facts on everything…" I argued, watching Izuku's arithmetic out of the corner of my eye.

"I've seen your debates with Momo," Ochako deadpanned. "Don't start."

I laughed, surprised. I had information about a lot of things because I'd lived in a library for months with nothing better to do than read, but that wasn't an answer I could give. "I just remember the stuff I read," I said vaguely, leaning over to Izuku. "Are you done?" I asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

"One more problem," Izuku answered shortly, hyper-focused on his work.

An airy chuckle from behind me made me spin around. A short, plump woman with a kind, round face and familiar green hair stood there, an affectionate smile on her face. "Izuku has always been like this," Miss Midoriya told me. "Does he do this at school often?" I opened and closed my mouth, tugged on my braids nervously.

"Yeah," Ochako confirmed, taking the pressure to speak off of my shoulders. "You should've seen the first week of school - all he would do was take notes on our teachers!"

Izuku looked up from his work, cheeks flushed. "Th-that was a w-while a-ago!" he defended. "A-and I've g-gotten better s-since th-then!"

"Since when?" Ochako asked incredulously. "You zoned out on the way to school just a few days ago because of a villain fight!"

"It was r-right in front of m-me!" Izuku protested.

Miss Midoriya laughed, reaching out to ruffle Izuku's hair. "I'll be in the kitchen," she told him, before facing Ochako and I. "It's nice to meet my son's friends," she said with the exact same nervous smile as her son. "Ochako Uraraka and Ichigo Kurosaki, correct?"

"Yes ma'am!" Ochako said, giving a mock salute.

I nodded, hands clutching my skirt anxiously. "That's right," I confirmed quietly.

"Tell me if you need anything, okay?" Miss Midoriya said sweetly, ruffling Izuku's hair one more time as she walked towards the kitchen.

As soon as she was gone, Ochako looked at me with concern. "What's up with you?" she wondered. "It was like you had a relapse or something."

"I didn't stutter at all," I mumbled defensively, cheeks red. "I've just never been to a friend's house before..." my voice grew quieter and less comprehensible with every word.

"Seriously?" Ochako said disbelievingly. My face heated up further in embarrassment, and as I ducked my head she held her hands up in surrender. "I don't mean it like that, Icchan! It's just - you've _never_ been to a friends house before?" she asked.

I nodded slowly. "Yeah…" I said quietly.

Izuku's mouth was set in a grim line. "It's fine," he said. "I haven't had friends over in about a decade, so we're in the same boat." I grinned at him sheepishly, somehow comforted by the fact I wasn't the only one new to this.

Ochako stared at us both with wide eyes and a slack jaw. "What childhood did you two have…?" she said breathlessly. I wondered how she'd react if she knew Shouto's story as well. "We're coming back here again!" she declared firmly, holding up a fist with determined eyes. "And we'll watch movies, and go to the mall, and play video games!" Ochako stood up, slamming one hand onto the table and pointing at mine and Izuku's stunned faces with the other. "You will have a childhood if it's the last thing I do!" she announced.

There was a long, awkward silence after that. Then, I couldn't manage to hold back my giggles anymore. As soon as I started laughing, Ochako did as well, and then Izuku snapped too. We all sat at the table laughing until our sides hurt, ignoring the fact we were supposed to be studying.

From the kitchen, Miss Midoriya watched us with shining eyes. Her son had friends now.

* * *

I came running off of the bus the day of the exams feeling ready for whatever would come my way. I knew the academic tests would last three days, so I hadn't bothered to drink my coffee this morning. I was prepared for a long day of napping.

Spotting Shouto's unique head of hair, I weaved my way through the bus stop crowd. I waved at my friends, grinning. "Hey guys!" I called, stopping between Momo and Shouto.

Ochako smiled at me. "Morning, Icchan! Thanks for not ambushing me today," she greeted teasingly.

"You guys ready for this?" I asked, holding up my clenched fists with an excited grin.

"Yes," Shouto said bluntly, expression calm.

Izuku gulped. "D-does it matter?" he asked, visibly sweating. Despite all our studying, it was obvious Izuku still felt nervous.

Ochako laughed next to him. "No," she answered frankly, patting Izuku on the shoulder without sympathy.

Momo frowned. "If you don't feel prepared, it could affect your performance," she said thoughtfully. "Studies have shown how confidence can affect test scores."

"Oh," Izuku said in a small voice, eyes wide. Ochako busted out into a new wave of laughter beside him.

"We're going to be late," Shouto pointed out bluntly, interrupting the conversation.

Ochako wiped her eyes, straightening up with a grave expression. "To Yuuei!" she announced, finger jousting the air. She then marched forward dramatically, Izuku on her heels muttering under his breath.

Momo chuckled, glancing down at me. "You believe you're ready?" she asked, following after Ochako and Izuku.

"I could've passed this test before school started," I said dismissively. I didn't like bragging, but Momo wouldn't judge me for my intellectual accomplishments. Mostly because at any point in time she could wipe the floor with me in chemistry (unless it was organic or biological chemistry, then I won).

Momo grinned. "Then may the best woman win," she said. "I will aim for the top score this time."

"Never," I disagreed, grinning up at her teasingly.

"I'm here," Shouto said tonelessly, almost-complaining-but-not-really. Momo and I looked over to stare at him blankly for several long moments, before giggling in unison at his deadpanned expression.

As I walked through the classroom door, trailing after Momo and Shouto (damn tall people, both of them), I pondered what would be the best method of falling asleep after I finished the test. Closing the door behind myself politely, I turned towards my desk. My eyes widened in shock.

Tenya was standing near his desk rigidly, with our classmates crowded around him asking about his vacation. Where had he gone? What did he do? Was it fun? Why was it so long? Tenya was answering the questions in his usual lecture style, long explanations, using hand gestures to emphasize his words.

I took a deep breath, and strode forwards, ignoring the nervous roiling of my stomach that made me want to vomit (or run away). I stopped behind Tenya, who was eagerly chopping his arms through the air while describing his journeys with his brother. "Good morning, Tenya!" I chirped with false confidence, pasting a smile on my face. "Nice to see you're back!"

Tenya froze, and I clenched my fists against my sides to hide my shaking hands. He turned around, looking down at me with an indiscernable expression. "Ichigo," he started. "I'm glad to have returned to Yuuei as well."

I tightened my smile, shutting my eyes so I wouldn't have to see his controlled expression. Was he mad at me? "You're just in time for the final exams too!" I said, all the while internally panicking. Had I lost a friend for the first time? What was I going to do now? Avoid him like the plague? Apologize? Switch classes and pretend we'd never met?!

"Yes, it's fortunate," Tenya agreed. There was a long, awkward pause, and then he added, "... Would you be willing to meet with me after school today? Along with Todoroki and Izuku?"

I nodded, opening my eyes. "Sure thing," I said. "Good luck with the exams, Tenya," I finished, turning on my heel and walking over to my desk robotically. I sat down heavily, mind whirring as I tried to puzzle together why Tenya would want to meet with Shouto, Izuku, and I. It was clearly related to the Hero Killer incident. Was he upset that we had taken credit for it?

I bit my lip, burning holes into my desk with my eyes. Nevermind napping during the test, I'd be lucky to focus on the questions for more than ten minutes.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **ZeQueenOfCards** : Geez! You totally binge read this! And thank you, Aizawa is one of my favorite characters in BNHA and his relationship with Ichigo and is a _joy_ to write. Plus I associate with him on a spiritual level XD

 **Kyuubi Kuroba** : The team assignments will be very entertaining... for me. They will not be fun for Ichigo (I already gave out a hint). As for who she will be facing, I pose you this question: why did Izuku face All Might?

 **GreenDrkness** : Yes, Aizawa is the best XD If he can pass off work, he will, and now he has this wonderful, willing little minion who is _more_ than happy to be helpful.

 **Wylla** : Ichigo really does come across as a Mary Sue, I know. I'm hoping this arc will be her most humanizing ones because everyone _does_ make mistakes (hint hint). Ichigo has succeeded so far, largely due to luck and good circumstances. She's had enough time to plan, her quirk is a perfect second-try, and she's always had cooperative teammates. Having her fail where it counts will probably be the best place to show that. As for character development, I have to (politely) disagree with you. Ichigo does develop over time. As she learns how to fight and gains confidence in her identity with her friends, she stops stuttering and becomes more vocal about her opinions. She still has a long way to go, but if I completed her character arc during the first few chapters, why continue? And I'm not sure where the misunderstanding was, but she doesn't heal her grandmother. One of the biggest points she makes to Shouto is that even if she _did_ , her grandmother would still never recover. Finally, it really does seem like she handles everything so well, doesn't it? It'd be really bad if I just happened... maybe... to add a _little_ bit more to her plate.

Edit: About the perfect scores. Once someone's IQ exceeds about 140 regular schooling becomes a joke, and Ichigo has an IQ I'd put somewhere between 160-170. So Ichigo not studying and making A's is actually pretty realistic. As long as she pays attention in class, she'll excel with little to no effort. One of the things I probably need to highlight in the story is that there are different types of genius. Izuku, Bakugo, and Momo all display different types of intelligence. Izuku is analytical. For Bakugo, its innovative. Momo and Ichigo represent a more conventional type of genius, so they excel academically, but they aren't built for combat like Izuku or Bakugo. Fortunately, Momo has been trained since she was young about how to think tactically. Ichigo is mostly running on talent, so once that gives out, she'll come crashing down. And Momo will hopefully have more of a place to shine in this next arc as well. I've changed every single team match-up, and Momo has become (in my opinion) a serious bad-ass after her time with Gunhead. If it seems like Momo really isn't in the spotlight for the "smartest student", its because Ichigo really is more intelligent. The difference is that Momo is a much more _diligent_ student, so as time moves on Momo will eventually overtake Ichigo on an academic level, because Ichigo doesn't know how to/never actually does study.

 **Ceralyn** : Yeah, Momo's confidence did take a heavy hit during the Sports Festival. Luckily, she should cope better this time around because of her apprenticeship with Gunhead. This is Momo's chance to be badass!

 **Xenocanaan** : I'm glad you appreciate her reasons! Ichigo isn't someone who has a solid understanding of what "justice" is. While her moral compass is still skewed on very straight, "justice" isn't a good enough motivator for her. She needs a clear line of duty, where her help is clearly important. The connection of those troubled kids to her own childhood helps as well.


	34. Episode 34: A Meal With Tenya!

I walked out of the classroom that afternoon knowing I had aced that test. There was an extra bounce in my step as I skipped out of the classroom, cheesy grin pasted on my face. Mister Aizawa would definitely be proud of me if I got a perfect score on the final exams, and that meant I could beg Present Mic into getting me ice cream as well (Mister Yamada was very nice, and persuadable too!).

As I changed from my slippers into my ratty black sneakers, I briefly noted that I was going to need new shoes soon. I was actually outgrowing my current ones, which while something I would normally celebrate, was concerning because new shoes were expensive.

There was a soft tap on my shoulder, and I spun around, fists raised. I relaxed when I saw Shouto. "Ah, hey," I said awkwardly. "So… we're meeting up with Tenya, right…?"

"That's correct," Shouto confirmed, nodding. He shifted uncomfortably. "Your reflexes are very sharp," he observed.

I giggled nervously. "Thanks!" I chirped, skimming right over the topic and looking past Shouto to see Izuku. I wiggled my fingers at him. "C'mon over here, Izukun!" I beckoned.

The green haired boy jerked his head up, seeing Shouto and I, and scurried over. He grinned anxiously. "W-we're meeting Tenya here, right?"

"Yep," Shouto answered bluntly, giving a small nod.

I smiled reassuringly, despite the feeling of anxiety crushing my stomach. "I'm sure it'll be fine," I said confidently. "Besides, who doesn't like free food, right?"

Izuku glanced at me disbelievingly. "That's really your focus, Ichigo?" he asked. I nodded, sticking my tongue out at him. Izuku grinned helplessly at my antics, and I internally fist pumped.

"You're all here," Tenya said. I turned around to see him standing a few feet away, backpack slung over his shoulder. He pushed up his glasses, hiding his eyes. "Please follow me," he requested, turning on his heel and heading down the street.

I glanced at Izuku, who looked just as confused, before shrugging and strolling forwards, Shouto and Izuku trailing behind me. Tenya led us three blocks away from the school, never looking back to see if we were following him still. He finally paused in front of a small restaurant, holding the door open for us politely.

I smiled at him, trying to disguise my nervousness. "Thanks, Tenya," I said, stepping inside. The restaurant was more of a glorified cafe, with checkered floors, and red couches with white rectangular tables scattered around the open layout. I waited for the others to walk inside, before following Tenya over to an empty table. I sat down across from him, Shouto taking the chair beside me. Appearing particularly nauseous, Izuku sat in the seat beside Tenya.

A waiter was with us in moments, wearing a black uniform. He quickly passed out menus, smiling professionally. "Welcome to the Checkers Cafe, we have a $5 lunch special today. I'll be your server, my name is Ichiro," he introduced, taking out a notepad and pen. "Can you tell me what beverages you're interested in?"

"Water, please," Tenya answered immediately, and Ichiro automatically scrawled out his order.

Izuku squirmed uncomfortably. "U-uh, me too," he agreed quickly.

I glanced at Tenya. "Mind if I get a pot of hot tea?" I inquired.

Tenya nodded. "That's fine," he answered, and I turned back to the waiter.

"A pot of hot tea, please?" I requested, and Ichiro nodded, writing on his notepad.

"Add a cup," Shouto added, and I glanced up at him, startled, but the waiter was already flipping his notepad shut, tucking the pen into his apron.

"Your drinks will be out shortly," Ichiro announced, giving one last perfect grin before turning towards the kitchens. I watched him go carefully, until Tenya coughed, and my gaze flickered back to him.

Tenya folded his hands on the table, and I gulped, realizing things were about to get serious. "Regarding why I requested your presences here today," he started, and I bit my lip, hands automatically moving up to tug on my braids. "I wanted to apologize."

My brain screeched to a halt. "What? Why?" I asked, confused.

Tenya's shoulders slumped, glasses hiding his eyes. "Because of my actions, you all were placed into unnecessary danger," he explained. "You especially, Ichigo, were endangered because of my reckless behavior," he bowed his head. "I apologize for any grievances and injuries I have caused you."

I scrambled for a response, a way to reassure Tenya - no, I wasn't upset so stop bowing because I don't know how to respond - but Shouto beat me to it with all of his usual eloquence.

"Don't apologize, you weren't thinking straight," Shouto said bluntly. "We chose to endanger ourselves to help you, you aren't responsible for what happened."

I nodded in agreement, jumping onto that train of thought. "I'm certainly not upset with you, Tenya," I assured him. "I don't regret helping you in any way, and I was fine in the end."

"Please don't apologize," Izuku added, eyes swimming with sincerity. "You're our friend, we're supposed to help each other," he grinned at Tenya brightly. "And saving people is what heroes do, why wouldn't we help you?"

Tenya still looked melancholy, but he raised his head and straightened his spine. "... Thank you," he responded hesitatingly. "My brother suggested that I apologize to you upon my return, to ensure there were no hard feelings…"

"We never blamed you for what happened," Izuku declared firmly.

Tenya gave a small smile. "That is good to know," he said, then continued after a small pause. "This meal is on me, then. As a show of gratitude."

I grinned at him, hoping this meant our friendship was back on track. "You're going to regret that," I teased. "I don't know about Shouto, but I can easily drink a pot of tea or two on my own."

"I enjoy tea very much," Shouto added impassively, but there was a small gleam in his eyes that could almost be called amused, and I realized with surprise that he was teasing Tenya as well.

Tenya's small smile widened into something more genuine. "I offered to pay," he said, tone grave. "I shall accept all the consequences of that decision."

"Then we can organize a funeral for your wallet later," Izuku quipped, a comment so out of character that I barely managed to keep my mouth closed, head spinning as I stared at him in shock. Tenya and Shouto were also looking at him in astoundment (although less expressive than me). Izuku scanned our expressions, the picture of innocence. "What?" he asked innocuously, and I burst into a storm of giggles. Tenya barked out a startled chuckle, and Shouto smiled, which was the equivalent of rolling on the ground laughing for anyone else.

Izuku grinned triumphantly, but before he could say anything else, Ichiro appeared again at the table, notepad out. "Are you ready to order?" he asked.

I hadn't checked out the menu yet, but I happily flipped it open. I held it up so he could see. "I'll have this, this, and that," I started, pointing to the menu items that looked interesting. I wasn't the one paying, after all. "Ooh! And that, and this, and that soup looks good, can that arrive first? And maybe this too…" I continued, ordering whatever caught my attention. Ichiro, wide eyed, scrawled down each item, growing more and more stunned with every word.

When I finally finished, I closed the menu. Ichiro scanned the list, before coughing politely and scanning the other's faces. "What else would you like to order?" he inquired, as if I hadn't just requested half the menu.

Tenya pushed up his glasses, looking to the other boys for confirmation. "I think we'll be fine," he said, Shouto and Izuku nodding in agreement.

"Alright then, your food will be out shortly," Ichiro said as he collected the menus, still sounding confused.

* * *

I stood in front of the model city with the rest of my classmates feeling rather confused. We were milling about in our hero costumes, wondering what was going on. All around us, different model terrains were set up, and I was carefully ticking each one off. Was this tied into our practical somehow? Unfortunately, I couldn't tell what for. Would we be doing rescue exercises? Combat trials? The environment offered me zero clues.

Izuku walked up to me, wearing his usual costume minus the silly rabbit hood. "Hey, do you know what's going on?" he asked nervously.

I shook my head slowly, tucking my face into my scarf. "I'm just as confused as you are," I whispered back quietly. "Mister Aizawa didn't let me see any of the paperwork on the finals…"

At that moment, the doors to the large, metal and glass building ahead of us slid open, and out marched every teacher in our grade, Mister Aizawa in the lead. I stared at them in surprise, mental gears slowly turning. They wouldn't… It'd be ridiculous… Impossible for us to pass if they…

"Now, we will begin your practical," Mister Aizawa introduced, stepping to the forefront of the crowd of teachers. "It is possible to fail this exam, so if you want to go to the training camp, don't make any stupid mistakes," he continued scathingly, and I gulped, wondering what constituted as stupid. "I expect that you all have gathered information on the exam ahead of time and have some idea of what you will be doing."

"We're fighting the robots from the entrance exams, right?" Kaminari bursted triumphantly, aiming finger guns at Mister Aizawa.

Ashido pumped her fist as his side. "Fireworks! Curry! Test of Courage!" she cheered, already hyped for the summer camp.

"Too bad!" A high pitched voice interrupted. A lump grew out of Mister Aizawa's scarf, and my eyes widened as Principal Nezu squirmed his way out to appear on my mentor's shoulder, tiny black eyes glinting with hidden sadism. "For various reasons, the exams will be different this time!"

My brain instantly put the puzzle pieces together, and my entire body slumped forward. I was so doomed. Izuku glanced at me with wide, concerned eyes as I exuded an aura of defeat.

Principal Nezu, meanwhile, climbed down Mister Aizawa's side. "From now on, we want to focus on person-to-person combat and hero work, and stress teaching that is closer to actual fighting. So…" he extended his paw, face anything but cute as he finished evilly, "you'll be forming teams of three to fight against one teacher!" Principal Nezu spread his arms, gesturing to the teachers around him. I tried not to cry.

"Against… the teachers?" Ochako repeated disbelievingly, eyes large and worried. Everyone else looked equally surprised and concerned.

Mister Aizawa cut in. "In addition, the teams and their opponents have already been decided," he said. "They were determined at my discretion based on various factors including fighting style, grades, and interpersonal relations, so here they are," he paused, pulling out his favorite little device and reading off of the screen. "Group One: Aoyama, Shouji, and Ojiro, versus Snipe. Group Two: Mineta, Ashido, and Koda versus Midnight. Group Three: Asui, Hagakure, and Satou versus Thirteen. Group Four: Midoriya, Kaminari, and Sero versus All Might," there was a cry of shock, and I saw Kaminari fall to his knees in my peripheral vision, already mourning his chance to see the summer camp. "Group Five: Iida, Tokoyami, and Jirou versus Present Mic. Group Six: Yaoyorozu, Uraraka, and Kirishima versus Ectoplasm. And Group Seven: Todoroki, Bakugo, and Kurosaki versus me."

My world spun to a stop. I was fighting Mister Aizawa… with Bakugo and Shouto? I paused, slowly looking between the two. They were glaring at each other already, I could see Bakugo's lips curling back into a snarl while Shouto managed to somehow convey anger with a blank expression.

I wondered if it would be overdramatic for me to fall to my knees and start screaming like Kaminari.

* * *

 **Mailbox/Explanations**

* * *

What's the rationale behind the teams? *Ahem* let my speech begin: I couldn't do pairs because there's 21 students this time around, so I had to either have it be one v one or three v three. The second option made the most sense, so trios it was. Aizawa picked his teams out this time for very specific reasons, I shall explain group by group.

 **Group 6: Momo, Ochako, and Kirishima.** This time around, Momo is more confident and capable after her training with Gunhead, she just needs more practice leading. Ochako is a good emotional support provider, and is already experienced with Momo's capabilities, so she'll help Momo take charge. Kirishima is also pretty easy going, and his close range defensive abilities work in tandem with Momo's long range training and Ochako support advantage. Fighting hordes of Ectoplasm's clones will challenge their teamwork and Momo's ability to lead under pressure.

 **Group 4: Izuku, Kaminari, and Sero.** All Might is clearly a daunting opponent, and just like in canon, Izuku holds him on a pedestal. Izuku needs to get past that hero worship. Sero and Kaminari both have the same issue: not taking their training as heroes seriously enough. They want to be normal teens while learning how to be a hero, and with this test Aizawa hopes to shock them both into getting their acts together, and at the very least learning to become more serious and strategic on the battle field.

 **Group 7: Bakugo, Shouto, and Ichigo.** Like Izuku with All Might, Ichigo holds Aizawa on a mental pedestal where he can do no wrong. Aizawa needs to get her out of that mindset. Bakugo and Shouto also (to no one's surprise) hate each other, and Ichigo is friends (questionable in Bakugo's case) with them both, so Aizawa wants her to act as a mediator. Bakugo and Shouto are also very reliant on their quirks in battle - not that they can't fight without them, it just isn't their specialty - unlike Ichigo who fights without any offensive quirk. Aizawa also wants Ichigo to learn to take charge despite dissent. She is already a capable leader, and he wants her to learn to become more "hey listen the fuck up!" instead of "I might have an idea..." when it comes to battle strategy.

If you want my reasons for the other teams, ask in the comments, I just included what I felt were the super important ones with the most significance since I'm kind of writing a lot now (not that the others aren't important, I just included the ones I thought you'd be most curious about!). Hope you enjoyed the chapter and are looking forward to the rest of this arc as much as I am! And now, onto the comments!

 **GreenDrkness** : I hope this chapter answered your question XD Iida should be doing fine from now on. There will be some lingering confidence issues, but things are looking up for him.

 **caitlinang5** : Here is your next chapter! And yeah... about the romance. That won't be happening for a little while. It's closer than you think though! I wasn't really comfortable having romance in a story where most of the characters are only 14~15, but now that Ichigo is entering her second year, she actually might start dating. But the person she first dates will not be the end pairing! I try to keep some realism in my stories when it comes to romance, because no relationship is perfect. A lot of stories seem to miss that. So in the far off future, you will have your romance! (I took way too long typing this response I'm sorry)

 **xenocanaan** : First of all, thank you! Second of all, I'm so glad you like Ichigo that much! I actually put a lot of thought into making her character. I'm hoping these next chapters will help round her out all the way, and really display some major development on her part. Thank you! As for the Bleach reference, as you probably know by now, Ichigo's birth name was just her surname: Asano. When she ran away, she had to fake her identity to apply to Yuuei. So she actually did steal her name from Bleach XD. I imagined her walking down the sidewalk wondering what alias to put on the papers, and she saw a Bleach manga out of the corner of her eye and just went, "That'll work!"

 **Ceralyn** : Yeah, I know plot-wise the last few chapters have been very dull. This chapter marks STS's return to the plot! Inko is pretty great too, right? She's an awesome mom! The "Study Party" chapter's goal was to draw parallel's between Izuku and Ichigo's pasts, and also show how their lives have changed now. I'm glad that you picked up on that! As for the updates... I'm actually sitting on 40 chapters right now. So I basically just twiddle my thumbs before adding a new one. I originally wrote this story on another site, where I updated twice a week. I'll be taking that schedule up once again April 30th!


	35. Episode 35: The Practical Begins!

"If you want to watch the other tests or plan ahead, this is your time," Mister Aizawa drawled, turning on his heel as the teachers headed back into the building. "Group One, you're up first, you have ten minutes to prepare and get into the arena," he said, carefully meeting Aoyama, Shouji, and Ojiro's eyes. "If that's all, listen out for your groups, dismissed," Mister Aizawa finished, turning around and reentering the building behind him, Present Mic at his side chattering away.

I immediately turned around, searching for Shouto and Bakugo. Spotting the blonde first, I hurried over. "Hey, we need to make a plan for the test, Mister Aizawa isn't a good match for you two-" I started.

"I'm going to beat him," Bakugo interrupted, burning holes into the ground with his eyes. He clenched his fists, and I could see the veins in his neck stand out. "Fucking Deku," he growled, spinning around and marching off to who knows where. I stared at his back, slightly stunned. I knew Bakugo had a… irate personality, to say the least, but I thought he'd held some modicum of respect for me.

Who did he think he was? I narrowed my eyes, glaring at his back, before spinning around, searching for Shouto instead. As soon as I spun around, I bumped into a blue uniformed stomach, and bounced backwards, immediately fixing my balance. I looked up to see Shouto's bland expression. "Uh, sorry about that," I apologized, wincing. "Now I know how Ocha-chan feels when I sneak up on her…"

"We need to create an escape plan," Shouto said, unperturbed. "Defeating our teacher will be next to impossible, our best shot is reaching the gate."

I huffed angrily. "I know, but Bakago seems intent on ignoring me," I grumped, crossing my arms.

"We can watch the next few matches, and make decisions from there," Shouto offered. "If Bakugo chooses to pursue Mister Aizawa, he'll make a good distraction."

I frowned, not liking the idea of using the blonde that way, even if he was rude. "Maybe…" I murmured, starting towards the building the teachers and many of the other students had entered. "We should watch the other matches, at least," I suggested. "We can get a good idea of how much the teachers are holding back."

"You think they're going to?" Shouto asked, walking beside me.

I giggled, despite myself. "If Mister Aizawa wanted, he could wipe the floor with all three of us," I informed him, amused at the idea that the teachers weren't going to hold back. "He'd target you first, immobilize you, and then go after Bakago," I bit my lip thoughtfully. "That's probably what he's planning actually."

"I'm capable of escaping most capture techniques," Shouto said doubtfully (without changing his tone of voice).

I nodded. "Yeah, but I could think of ways to remove you from the battlefield already," I said, mind whirring. I had a tool belt full of sharp objects and extra scarves, if I couldn't come up with at least ten different ways to capture Shouto, Mister Aizawa would have me running laps for weeks as penance.

"Like what?" Shouto asked. "I can prepare for them."

"Well, for one, Mister Aizawa and I have extra scarves," I said, opening up one of my belts pouches to reveal three extra scarves. "If I wanted to trap you, based on what I've seen, I'd want to bind your hands, suspend you in the air in some fashion, and then add some motivation so you'd reconsider breaking the scarf."

Shouto narrowed his eyes. "Motivation?" he repeated. He was clearly trying to think of ways to avoid what I was describing.

I patted another pouch on my belt. "We both have caltrops," I warned him. "Covering the ground below you with enough sharp objects would probably be sufficient, since I doubt your suspended aerobic abilities are even close to Mister Aizawa's or mine," I shrugged, stepping through the last set of doors to enter the viewing room. I could see Recovery Girl, Izuku, and Ochako already standing there. "Basically don't let him see you, because if he gets you with his quirk you're done for." Shouto let out an amused huff, and I glanced up at him skeptically. "Not that you can't use martial arts, but you aren't a specialist."

"Understood," Shouto confirmed. "So stay out of sight, and run for the gate," he summarized.

"Pretty much," I agreed, stopping next to Ochako. "Hey, Ocha-chan," I said, as Shouto slid in beside Izuku.

Ochako glanced down at me. "Hey, Icchan," she said, smiling anxiously. "You put a plan together yet?" she asked.

I winced. "Uh, kind of?" I answered unsurely. "Bakago is… less than cooperative."

"Right," Izuku said, sounding slightly pained. "Kacchan can be... difficult to work with."

"That is the understatement of the year," I asserted. "This test will be difficult enough without teamwork troubles." I crossed my arms, glaring at the screen where I could see Aoyama, Shouji, and Ojiro taking their places.

Ochako glanced over at me with wide eyes. "Do you think they'll pass?" she asked urgently.

"Aoyama, Shouji, and Ojiro against Snipe," I reviewed, running through various scenarios. "They could do it if they played their cards right," I decided. "Aoyama has good range, Ojiro has mobility and close range tactics, and Shouji is great for tracking. If they can work together, they'll make it." Teamwork was probably the goal of the entire exam… which meant I was doomed.

Recovery Girl leaned forward in her chair, grabbing a small mic protruding from the desk. "Fifteen seconds before the test begins," she announced sweetly, and on screen Ojiro flinched. I tried to not feel amused by the entire sucky situation. They had one of the better matches, after all.

Moments later, Izuku, Ochako, Shouto and I watched in anticipation as the entrance gate slid open. Aoyama and Shouji charged in immediately, Ojiro choosing mysteriously to linger by the gate. Their battlefield was an underground tunnel. There were plenty of shadowed places for Snipe to hide, and between them and the exit gate was a long stretch of open terrain. It was clearly in Snipe's favor.

Aoyama and Shouji charged on regardless, undeterred. Shouji used all of his extra arms as ears, listening in for any movements. Aoyama looked concentrated to the point of concentration, recklessly running ahead as Shouji trailed behind him.

"What are they doing…?" Ochako said in confusion, watching the apparent suicidal charge.

I narrowed my eyes. "No one in that group is dense, they have a plan. But what could they…?" As I spoke, my eyes flickered back to the camera focused on the entrance gate. Ojiro was gone, and as I scanned the other screens, I realized I couldn't find him anywhere. I grinned, realizing what they were doing. "They're trying to get Snipe to reveal himself, and then they're going to corner him," I explained. "That's why Ojiro isn't running with them, he's going to ambush him after the first shot."

As soon as I finished speaking, a bullet ricocheted from the darkness. "Go!" Shouji barked, as both he and Aoyama leaped back, finger pointed at one of the many alcoves. A fake-bullet hit Shouji in the chest, and he fell to the ground, "dead".

Aoyama tucked his arms behind his head, aiming his lazer at the pillar Shouji had indicated. Snipe came rolling out from behind his hiding spot moments before it was demolished, firing bullets at Aoyama. The flashy blonde managed to dodge the first two shots, but the third nailed him in the arm.

"I have been hit! _Merci!_ " Aoyama cried dramatically, falling to the ground. The shot wasn't actually fatal, so he wasn't out of the game, but his ridiculous performance held Snipe's attention for the full second it needed to.

Just as Snipe moved to reload his gun, Ojiro came flying out of the darkness, snapping the cuff around Snipe's wrist. He landed in a roll seconds later, popping up to his feet. He turned around, eyes wide, seeming surprised by his own success.

"We… did it?" he announced questioningly.

At the other end of the room, the cartoon picture of Nezu on the exit gate started glowing. "Group #1 passes!" The principal's cheery voice declared.

Aoyama jumped to his feet, sparkly cape billowing around him. "We have won, _mes amis!_ " he cheered, spreading his arms widely.

Shouji stood up more slowly, walking over to Ojiro. "Good job," he said, holding out his hand.

Ojiro still looked stunned by his own success, tail laying limply on the ground behind him. "Uh, thanks," he said, shaking Shouji's hand.

Aoyama appeared between them, glowing with pride. "Let us celebrate our success! _Victoire!_ " he sang. Ojiro and Shouji immediately separated and took a step back.

I let out a giggle as they exited the field on screen. "Aoyama certainly has a flamboyant personality," I commented, smiling appreciatively. "Their plan was good. They took advantage of Snipe's focused attacks and forced him to choose between letting them reach the gate or announcing his position. It was a good trick, but in a real life scenario, that wouldn't have worked," I giggled again. "Not that I don't approve of using the rules of games to win."

Izuku nodded, grinning as well. "It was an impressive strategy, considering that they had the least amount of time to plan," he complimented. "They used Shouji and Aoyama as the distraction because their quirks work well together, and since Ojiro was the fastest, had him attack," Izuku's fingers twitched habitually, like he was reaching for a pencil.

Ochako laughed. "Having people to analyse the matches as they happen makes this way more fun!" she said, clapping her hands together happily.

Izuku smiled sheepishly. "We have a lot of practice," he offered, crossing his arms to keep his fingers from moving.

I leaned over towards him. "Wish you had your notebook, huh?" I asked, and Izuku blushed.

Shouto glanced down from the screens as the battlefield reset itself. "You both are good analysts," he said cooly.

I grinned at the compliment, trying to hide my own reddening cheeks. I felt jittery for no particular reason, like there were butterflies in my stomach. "Th-thanks!" I said, cursing my stammer. It still appeared if I got nervous enough.

Recovery Girl leaned forward towards her mic again, ignoring our conversation. "Group 2, please get to the field. You have three minutes before the test begins," she announced.

I spun back towards the screens, grabbing the rails tightly. I could see Ochako teasing Izuku about his hands' automatic reaction in the corner of my eye. "Next up is Mineta, Ashido, and Koda versus Midnight," I remembered. "This is actually in their favor."

"How so?" Shouto asked, stepping in beside me.

I focused on the match, where Mineta and Koda were walking up to the gates, Ashido bouncing impatiently. "Ashido's acid allows her to move really quickly, and Koda should be able to create distractions with whatever animals are in the area. Mineta's quirk could work well for either capturing Midnight, or slowing her down," I bit my lip thoughtfully. "What I'd do, in their places, is have Koda and Mineta lure her away from the gate and secure her, and then have Ashido book it for the exit. Midnight's quirk makes her hard to cuff, I wouldn't bother trying unless you were Momo and could create gas masks."

Shouto nodded in understanding, looking to the screen as well. Off to the side, Izuku was flailing his arms as Ochako leaned in a little too closely to his face, grinning mischievously. I smiled in amusement, wondering when they both would figure out their enormous crushes on each other.

"Fifteen seconds until the gates open," Recovery Girl announced. I watched as the on screen projections of Koda and Ashido lined up on one side of the gate, and Mineta readied himself on the other.

I frowned in confusion. They weren't behaving like I predicted. "That's illogical. Ashido is the fastest, she should be the one working alone," I said, puzzled.

The entrance gate opened, and Mineta darted left, while Ashido lead Koda to the right. She was grinning impishly, and Mineta's eyes were watering, so I wondered what she had said to make the smaller boy so upset (I felt a small bit of vindictive pleasure at seeing my tormentor bullied back though). Their battlefield was a forest, covered in grass and trees. It was an ideal area for Koda, but with Midnight standing right in front of the exit gate, encompassed in a cloud of thick purple mist, it didn't really matter.

"I don't get it," I muttered, trying to decode their strategy furiously. "What are they doing?"

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

Before anyone can ask, "WHY IS BAKUGO BEING SO DIFFICULT?!", it's because he's pissed Izuku gets to fight All Might, and is therefor throwing a tantrum. Like a brat.

 **laurapalmer596** : First of all, thank you so much! I'm glad that Ichigo's emotions come across so clearly. I try to keep her reactions to situations as realistic as possible, so I'm happy she seems authentic. I cannot say I was any part of the BNHA writing committee (wish I could though) but I'm ecstatic you feel I did such a good job keeping the characters true to themselves. I spend a lot of time worrying about whether or not they seem OOC. As for Ichigo's quirk and personality: I'm happy they come across as unique and realistic within the BNHA world. Originally, I had her as the granddaughter of Recovery Girl, but then I realized that would make her combat-useless. So I tried to find a way to weaponized a healing quirk. I ended up basing her abilities off of Tsunade from Naruto. Thank you again for the compliments :D

 **GreenDrkness** : Yep, Tenya is fine! And yes, Ichigo can heal nerve damage. Her quirk, Mitotic Regeneration, is basically a full-body reset. It causes all of her cells to begin rapidly dying and copying themselves. Unfortunately, because that means she's using DNA as coding, she can't heal genetic diseases (like Huntington's or Down-syndrome), and in some cases she can actually advance conditions (like cancer) so she has to be careful.

 **xenocanaan** : I'm glad this doesn't seem over dramatic. This is basically Ichigo's "time of reckoning", to see how far she's come from the timid girl at the start of the school-year. With uncooperative teammates and a mentor whom she worships as an opponent, the odds are stacked against her, which really hasn't happened before. It'll be interesting to see how she handles that, because normally the situation is on her side (except for the Hero Killer, and we all saw how that ended up).

 **ZeQueenOfCards** : To start, I'm _so sorry_ for not answering your last comment. I don't know how I missed it D: Sorry! But I'm glad you like the new teams, I put quite a bit of thought into their matchups. I actually had to try and "think like Aizawa", so it took awhile. And to address your last comment: I have been sitting on 40 chapters for the past several weeks, so I'm just posting these when I feel like it, and Aizawa is my spirit animal too XD He speaks to me.


	36. Episode 36: Beat The Teachers!

Ashido skated ahead determinedly. She was using a thin layer of acid to dig her toes into the dirt, skidding through the forest as fast as she could. Koda had broken away into the woodland a minute ago in search of animals to enlist. Their plan now relied on Ashido's ability to find Midnight and lure her away from the gate.

Grinning confidently, Ashido swerved between two trees, sliding out into the clearing in front of the exit gate. Midnight was standing there, posed with one hand on her hip, and the other holding her whip.

"Hey, teach!" Ashido shouted, waving at her. "Hope you don't mind me getting past you!"

Midnight smirked, lifting her whip. "Sorry, that's not going to work out," she said, lashing the ground in front of Ashido, who slid to the side last second, eyes wide.

Ashido took a deep breath, and narrowed her eyes at Midnight. "Sorry about this, then!" she apologized, charging the teacher. Midnight smirked, reaching down to rip open her sleeve, smacking Ashido in the face with her narcotic mist. Ashido took a deep breath, cheeks puffed out, and foraged on ahead, getting right up in her teacher's face. Dancing past Midnight and dodging another lash of her whip, Ashido reached out and snatched her red glasses. She then booked it back towards the forest. "Got it!" Ashido cheered, grinning victoriously as she fled.

Midnight paused for a moment, stunned. Then her eyes narrowed on the pink blur rapidly vanishing into the woods. "YOU BRAT!" Midnight screeched, taking off after Ashido at a slower pace, whip racing through the air towards the escaping pink blob.

Ashido let out a yelp when the whip hit the back of her leg, forcing her to run faster. She narrowed her eyes, hoping that her teammates had succeeded in their parts of the plan. Looking up at the sky moments before the sun vanished behind the leaves, she started running towards the sun. Behind her, Midnight continued to pick up speed, whip waving in the air as she tried to get her glasses back.

After three minutes straight of running, Ashido started to get tired. She was sweaty, and her breathing was heavier. Midnight had only gotten faster as she grew angrier and more determined, catching up with Ashido rapidly. When the trees finally opened up into a clearing, covered in leaves with a deer standing proudly in the center, Ashido grinned in relief. Taking the glasses, she spun around, skating backwards across the ground. She held Midnight's glasses up, jumping backwards towards the deer with a smug smile. "Bet you want these back, right?" she laughed.

Midnight's eyes widened at the taunt, before she let out a growl. "You-!" she started, rushing towards Ashido. There was a loud crack, and then Midnight fell through the leaves covering the ground, vanishing into a hidden pitfall. The Pro Hero let out a shocked gasp seconds before she landed at the bottom of a roughly dug dirt hole.

Ashido stopped, wiping her forehead clean of the sweat. She gently pat the deer on the head, tucking Midnight's glasses safely in her shirt pocket. "That went well, huh?" she said breathlessly.

At that moment, Kouda came running out of the woods, eyes wide. His fingers wove out symbols rapidly, and Ashido held her hands up, chuckling.

"I don't know what you're saying!" she told him, before pointing at the pitfall trap. "Midnight is stuck in their though," she confirmed. Kouda paused, and then tiptoed over to the hole, peeking inside fearfully. Midnight was stalking back and forth at the bottom, visibly angry from being blinded. Ashido walked up beside him, peering down as well. "You did a really good job getting the animals to dig this," she complimented, before smiling nervously. "I hope Mineta is almost done already though, cause Midnight's going to kill us."

Suddenly, a loud beeping sound went off. "Group 2 passes!" Nezu's recording announced.

Kouda started signing things rapid fire, but Ashido interrupted him with a loud cheer, punching at the air. "YES!" she shouted excitedly, before whirling around and holding out her hand. Kouda stared at her for a moment, before reaching out and gently tapping his palm against hers. Ashido didn't care, letting out another loud whoop before darting over to the edge of the hole. "Midnight! Here's your glasses!" she yelled, taking the glasses and tossing them down to the captured teacher.

Midnight snatched them out of the air last second, glaring up at Ashido, who gulped. The Pro Hero calmly slipped her glasses on, taking a calming breath. "That was a good strategy," she started, and Ashido grinned. Midnight leveled her with a dark glower. "Steal my glasses again and you'll wish you had failed," she threatened ominously.

Ashido swallowed visibly. "Yes ma'am!" she squeaked, holding out her hand. Midnight reached up and grabbed it, and Ashido helped haul the woman out of the hole. With a haughty huff, Midnight stalked off. Ashido sidled over to Kouda quietly. "I feel lucky to be alive," she whispered jokingly, and he nodded. They both started towards the exit gate. As they walked, Ashido rolled her eyes. "Y'know, I can't believe that Mineta of all people came up with that strategy," she said disbelievingly. "Perverts should be stupid!"

* * *

Meanwhile, in the observation room, I bit my lip, eyes narrowed furiously. "Mineta came up with that?!" I protested, gripping the metal railings so tightly my knuckles turned white. "How does a pervy idiot create a good battle plan! That should be illegal!"

"He did come tenth in the midterm rankings," Izuku pointed out unhelpfully. "He's not stupid."

I clenched my jaw, rounding on Izuku. "Then how is he… _him?!_ " I demanded, pointing a furious finger at the screen, where Mineta was strolling out of the field.

"You're very passionate about this," Shouto observed detachedly.

"Try being a female," Ochako deadpanned. "You'll gain 'passion' about Mineta real quick too."

* * *

Satou, Hagakure, and Tsuyu entered the battleground for their test. The fifteen minute clock had already started, but Satou and Tsuyu seemed content to take their time towards the exit gate, strolling down the paths of their mall-like battlefield.

Satou scanned the shops lining their walkway, admiring the detail. "The storefronts are very realistic," he complimented. "They put a lot of effort into this."

"Yuuei has a lot of money, _kero_ ," Tsuyu pointed out bluntly, tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth.

Before Satou had a chance to respond, they were interrupted by Thirteen appearing at the end of the shopping rows. The Space Hero splayed his fingers, pointing at the two teens dramatically. "As heroes, you cannot be late!" he declared. "Lives rest in your hands!" As he spoke, he uncapped his pointer finger. The following black hole consumed most of the nearby storefronts, while Tsuyu and Satou barely managed to latch onto a nearby bench that hadn't been immediately upended from the ground.

"Oh no! Hagakure!" Satou shouted dramatically, reaching backwards as if the invisible girl had gotten sucked away.

Thirteen, alarmed, immediately cut off his quirk, hoping he hadn't accidentally hurt one of the students. His quirk was very dangerous, after all - a cuff latched around his wrist from behind him. Eyes wide behind his helmet, Thirteen turned to see empty space.

"Caught you!" Hagakure cheered, voice suspended in the air.

Satou and Tsuyu, from their places sprawled out on the ground, still clutching the benches, sighed in relief. Their arms felt sore from even the few seconds they'd spent resisting Thirteen's quirk.

"Group 3 passes!" The principal announced with a chime, and the exit gate lit up victoriously.

Tsuyu looked to Satou, and smiled. "Satou-kun's acting skills are very good, _kero_ ," she complimented.

Satou smiled, cheeks pink. "Thanks, Asui," he responded.

Tsuyu hopped to her feet, offering Satou her hand. "Call me Tsuyu-chan," she said.

* * *

From behind the screens of the observation deck, I nodded approvingly. "That was a clever maneuver," I commented. "They lured Thirteen into a battlefield with plenty of obstacles for his quirk, and used Hagakure's invisibility to create an ambush. Satou's distraction was a nice touch."

Izuku's fingers were twitching again. "They used Thirteen's personality and protectiveness of his students along with the well known deadliness of his quirk to predict his actions," he analyzed. "Their timing had to be perfect, for that to work out. Plus, the noise from the vacuum effect of the black hole to cover Hagakure's footsteps. I wonder if that was intentional or just a side effect…?" As he spoke, Izuku's voice slowly became quieter, until he was rapidly and unintelligibly muttering like usual.

I giggled into my hand, wondering if it was because he was anxious. "Izuku, you have five minutes until your test now," I pointed out. "Don't you want to talk to Kaminari and Sero again before facing All Might?"

Izuku flinched, muttering silenced immediately. "Right… I have to fight… All Might…" he remembered, sounding faint. He looked terrified. Then his face turned slightly green, and he appeared scared and nauseous. "E-excuse me!" Izuku said, covering his mouth with his hand and scurrying out of the room.

Ochako glanced at me, looking concerned for Izuku. "I'm going to follow him," she told me, before racing down the hallway after Izuku.

Shouto looked down at me after the door shut behind Ochako. "What's our plan?" he asked. "Do you want to attempt speaking with Bakugo again?"

I swallowed uncomfortably, shifting. "I'll try to find him in between," I said. "But I don't think I'll have any luck."

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **ZeQueenOfCards** : That's good, but I'm still sorry XD And trust me, any review is a good review. Writers like talking about their stories, it's really weird. If you say ANYTHING, you are motivating them to write, trust me :) Thank you for the compliment as well. I put a lot of thought into the battle tactics for each team!

 **Katr5432** : Thank you! To start, yes, Ichigo can heal Tenya's brother. She actually will in the future. The biggest problem for Ichigo healing people is the legality of quirk-usage. When someone becomes admitted into the hospital, or doesn't give their express permission outside of it, Ichigo _isn't_ allowed to heal them. So once Tenya asks, after his brother has left the hospital he is undoubtedly in, Ichigo will heal him. The situation is similar for All Might, except Ichigo doesn't know he's injured and the information is classified. The only reason she hasn't healed All Might is because no one wants to, you know, actually _SAY_ something about the #1 hero being fatally injured. Furthermore, thank you for the warning. I've been trying to be very careful about toeing the line of Mary Sue-ness. The issue is balancing a character strong enough to compete with people like Shouto or Izuku, but not being over the top. Ichigo's biggest weakness isn't exactly physical (although her lack of offensive abilities and size do have disadvantages), but rather her lack of self-confidence. Having confidence in yourself is extremely important, especially when you're expected to take on a leadership role. This arc will probably be the best example of Ichigo's failings, and where she needs to improve if she wants to move forward as a hero. Also: Don't worry, I don't hang a gun on the wall and not fire it. Ichigo's lies, the creep on the bus, and everything else will have applications in the future. I've been waiting for the perfect moment for the fallout. And there will be many opportunities for awesome fight scenes in the future. Finally, I don't mind long reviews, I love 'em, really. I'm glad you're enjoying the story! :)

 **pinkdoughnuts** : Okay, I've been getting comments about this and I feel the need to explain. Why is Ichigo's name "Ichigo Kurosaki"? Am I really that lacking in creativity? Why can't I come up with a name that's original? *inhales deeply* **_IT IS CANON TO THE STORY THAT ICHIGO STOLE HER NAME!_** Thank you. Ichigo copied her name from Bleach intentionally, because it's an alias. Her paperwork for Yuuei Academy is _fake_. She didn't know what to call herself when she applied, since she couldn't use her actual name, and because she was living in a library she wandered into the fantasy section and stole her "new" name from a manga character. Sorry if that seems overly aggressive - it isn't meant to be - because it's my fault I haven't specified it before (should I have a disclaimer in the first chapter?), but that question has been annoying me a bit.

 **Lone-Wolf-Ranger** : Thank you so much! I'm glad you've been enjoying the story, and I hope you continue to do so! I'm sitting on so many chapters right now. I would've updated sooner, but I went on an unexpected 2-week vacation and couldn't bring my computer with me :( I'll be updating every other day now until I catch up to where I wanted to be before.

 **xenocanaan** : Heh heh. That's what YOU think. But yeah, you're right. Shouto is willing to work with Ichigo now, so if Bakugo choses to play along, the team should have a chance of success. The bigger issue is getting Ichigo to speak up and actually _make_ a plan, instead of anxiously twiddling her thumbs. Also, I have posted this story on another website, and Shouto x Ichigo is a popular ship there as well XD I have been duly informed the ship name is "Shouchigo". I laughed my ass off when I read that in the comments. So you are not alone!

 **GreenDrkness** : Thanks, I'm glad you appreciate the strategies. I honestly feel like I should explain my thought processes more when I write this, but then I'd have an extra page attached to every chapter XD I'm happy the effort and thought I put behind the battles is appreciated though. I actually rate the characters power-levels based on a scale I use. It helps determine their strengths, weaknesses, and overall team contributions. It's how I made the teams for the exams, and decided who will pass or fail. It was REALLY useful during the Sports Festival Arc as well.


	37. Episode 37: Fight All Might!

I did look around the facility for Bakugo during the short period in between Group 3 and Group 4's tests, but I found absolutely no sign of the grumpy blonde. Feeling slightly depressed and also a bit panicked, I drug my feet back into the observation room, disappointed with my failure. Shouto was standing there, along with Momo and Ochako who were quietly talking.

"Hey guys," I said, walking up to the railing and climbing up so I could straddle the bar comfortably.

Ochako smiled in amusement. "Too short to see the screen, Icchan?" she teased, ignoring the tension in the air. Izuku was fighting All Might in a few minutes, after all.

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I can see the screen," I informed her defensively, curling my feet around the lower bar. "This is just… easier."

"Because you're short," Ochako pointed out, and I rolled my eyes, turning my head towards the screen. This was going nowhere, but at least the tense atmosphere had dissipated.

Momo chuckled, uncrossing her arms and smiling at me. "If you'd like, I can create an elevated chair for you, Ichigo," she said kindly. "It wouldn't be any trouble."

"Me too! Me too!" Ochako cheered, hopping up and down with her hand in the air.

Momo nodded. "Of course," she agreed, before glancing at Shouto. "Would you appreciate a chair as well?" she inquired politely.

"Please," Shouto answered shortly. Momo got to work immediately, spawning folding chair from her back. Ochako bounced around excitedly, chattering about how her feet hurt.

Recovery Girl watched her in amusement. "I wish I still had that much energy," she commented to me.

I grinned and shrugged. "Don't worry, most of us don't," I said. "I need four cups of coffee to even begin to approach Ochako's level of enthusiasm." Recovery Girl laughed loudly, reaching over to grab her microphone.

"One minute before the test begins," she warned over the intercom.

* * *

Meanwhile, Izuku was spasming from anxiety at the entrance gate. Sero was vainly attempting to catch his attention long enough to create some semblance of a strategy before the test started.

Off to the side, Kaminari was having his own freak out as well. "This isn't fair, everyone else doesn't have to fight All Might," he muttered, clenching his fists. "I was supposed to be fighting robots. You hear me?!" he shouted. "RO-BOTS!"

Sero turned around, because Kaminari's yelling wasn't helping Izuku's nerves. "Tone it down, dude," he said, gesturing to Izuku's pacing form. The green haired boy's eye was actually twitching. "You aren't helping."

"Help? Who cares about help?" Kaminari asked theatrically. "We're going against All Might! As in the number one hero, ALL MIGHT! There is no helping us!" As he ranted, Kaminari flailed his arms around, emphasizing their impending doom.

Izuku twiddled his thumbs as he thought aloud. "We just need to reach the gate. If we can find a way to get past him without him noticing - maybe a distraction? But that'd need to last several minutes, there's no way - what about seperating? We could all go for the gate on our own - no, he'd just hunt us down one by one. We'd need a functioning distraction - but it'd need to last long enough for someone to make it - five minutes? Two minutes? I don't think we could last more than thirty seconds-"

"Midoriya! Seriously, take a chill pill," Sero encouraged, laying a hand on Izuku's shoulder to stop him from pacing. "Calm your feet, stop your muttering, and let's figure something out. They might give us partial credit if we at least try," he said optimistically.

Izuku perked up a bit at the thought. "Anything is better than a zero on the final," he agreed, before deflating. "I don't think we have any good options here though."

"What have you considered? There might be something we can work with," Sero suggested, subtly waving Kaminari over with his hand. The blonde dragged his feet over, still looking depressed.

"The best chance we could have is creating a distraction and having someone run for the gate. The only issue is that stopping All Might from running after the person for any length of time is near impossible," Izuku explained, fidgeting anxiously. "If we could create a distraction, somebody could run for it, the only question is who would run and who would try to stop All Might," he shuddered at the thought. Stopping All Might was like trying to stop the world from turning. Impossible and stupid.

Sero grinned, pointing at himself. "I'd probably be the best shot for running. My tape makes me pretty fast, and I don't think I'd be very useful in a fight with All Might," he offered.

"That's a good idea," Izuku nodded absentmindedly. "Depending on the battlefield, Kaminari and I can distract All Might from anywhere between thirty seconds to two minutes - at best. All the testing grounds are 95 meters long, I asked Recovery Girl. Can you cover that much ground that quickly?" he looked up at Sero hopefully.

Sero looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "I finished the 50 meter race All Might had us do in fifty seconds. So I probably need about a minute and a half to get across the entire arena. Better question - what if All Might doesn't come to us? If he sits by the gate like some of the other teachers, we're screwed," he pointed out unhelpfully.

"All Might will come to us," Izuku said confidently. "The teachers are supposed to give us some shot at passing, after all. If All Might stood at the exit gate, we wouldn't realistically have any chance at getting past him unless he let us."

"And if he comes towards we can get past him without him letting us?" Kaminari asked sarcastically.

"Not really," Izuku answered, not paying attention to Kaminari's tone in the slightest. "So Kaminari and I will try to distract All Might, and Sero will try to reach the exit gate," Izuku nodded confidently. "We have a plan."

There was a short beep, and then Recovery Girl's voice came on over the intercom. "One minute before the test begins," she announced, turning the intercom off again with another beep.

Kaminari through his head back, hands covering his face miserably. "We're so dead," he groaned fatalistically. Neither Sero or Izuku disagreed.

* * *

The entrance gate slid open. Izuku and Kaminari slowly walked inside, appraising their testing ground. It was modeled like a city street, with fake cars dotting the road that led a straight path to the exit gate. Naturally, All Might was standing right at the center of it, not even trying to hide. Hands on his hips, smiling proudly, he stared Kaminari and Izuku down.

"WELCOME, HEROES!" he boomed. Izuku flinched, clenching his fists and glancing over at Kaminari nervously. The blonde met Izuku's eyes fearfully, before they shared a nod and charged together.

Izuku quickly took the lead, energy sparking at his heels as he flew towards the number one hero, jaw set and eyes wide in terror. He somehow managed to not trip over his own two feet, throwing a punch at All Might's face.

The Pro Hero easily slipped out of the way, grabbing Izuku by the shoulder and flipping him face first into the ground. "A VALIANT EFFORT, BUT NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" All Might declared evilly, rounding towards Kaminari. The blonde barely had time to gulp before he was smashed into the ground as well.

Sero took his chance, using his tape to wrap around lighting posts on opposite sides of the street and send himself flying into the air. As he arced into the sky, All Might looked up, blue eyes glowing. At that moment, Izuku collided with the hero, creating another distraction so Sero could attach himself to another set of buildings and continue propelling himself forward.

All Might snatched at Izuku's arm, and the green haired boy barely managed to weave away, pivoting sharply on his heel to catapult himself at the Pro Hero a second time.

* * *

I winced, watching Izuku vainly try to land blows on All Might as the hero easily dodged. On another screen, Sero was growing closer and closer to the exit gate. "He's being toyed with," I observed, watching All Might easily grasp Izuku's wrist and send him rocketing towards a model car. Izuku rebounded off of the hood, slamming into the wall of the building beside him. Metal fragments from the car were sent flying, and Izuku slowly tried to lift himself to his feet again.

"He's seriously hurting Izuku!" Ochako gasped, watching as Izuku shakily stood up, blood running down from his scalp. "This is wrong!" she protested.

I shook my head. "All Might is making a point," I said, eyes switching between the various screens. Sero had a panicked expression as he pushed himself to swing even faster towards the gate. "Their strategy is pretty simple, but only Izuku is trying to distract All Might right now. That violence makes the situation more real," I focused in on Kaminari, who hadn't managed a single attack yet, still sitting on the ground where All Might had thrown him. "All Might is telling them to take this seriously," I continued. "Being a hero isn't easy or fun, and anyone who hasn't fully realized that is going to have a hard time in the future."

* * *

Kaminari watched in horror as Izuku trembled on his feet, facing down All Might. He couldn't bring himself to move. Facing down the goons at the USJ had been one thing, but All Might's sheer presence made him want to shit his pants. This was supposed to be a test! Why did he have to fight the number one hero for this?!

All Might lunged forward, and Izuku flung himself under the Pro Hero's feet, skidding to a stop in the center of the street, a few feet away from Kaminari. All Might laughed boisterously. "YOU FIGHT WELL!" he announced. "BUT I WILL NOT LOSE SO EASILY! YOUR FRIEND IS TRYING TO REACH THE GATE WHILE YOU FIGHT ME? I AM NOT SO EASILY TRICKED!" The Pro Hero turned, clearly having every intention of chasing down Sero, who was now running across the last stretch of empty space between the exit gate and the model city street.

Izuku darted forward, but he stumbled. Kaminari noted the odd way Izuku's ankle was bent with no small margin of terror. If Izuku couldn't stop All Might, they were screwed, and then Sero would get caught and they'd fail the exam.

"YOU GAVE YOUR ALL, HEROES!" All Might shouted, readying himself for a super-strength enhanced jump. "BUT IT WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!"

Suddenly, Kaminari felt desperation kick in. He scrambled to his feet, eyes wide and hands shaking. Izuku was on the ground behind him, trying to stand up on his broken ankle. Eyes squirreling, Kaminari reached down and grabbed a hunk of metal car wreckage. With sparking fingers, he reeled his arm back and threw the charged metal. It hit All Might's leg, instantly conducting the electricity.

All Might spun around and was on him in moments. Kaminari felt himself vomit from the force he was slammed into the ground with. With All Might looming over him, Kaminari knew that he only had one last shot.

"Sorry, Midoriya!" Kaminari shouted, letting out all the electricity he could. His world vanished in a burst of blinding light.

* * *

"Group 4 passes," Nezu's voice announced, echoing inside the nearly silent observation room. Momo, Shouto, Ochako, and I stared at the screens in shock as Sero gasped for air, having just escaped the exit gate. Izuku and Kaminari were laying limply in the middle of the street, unconscious, while All Might appeared slightly wobbly standing over them both.

Recovery Girl sighed, lifting herself out of her chair. "This class seems determined to injure themselves," she muttered, dropping to the floor. She calmly shuffled towards the door.

"They actually passed," I said breathlessly. The information sunk in, and then I spun around, hurrying after Recovery Girl. "I'll come along! I can help!" I declared, following her out of the room.

"Of course, dearie," Recovery Girl agreed sweetly, not bothering to look back at me as I trailed after her.

There was a long pause as the door shut. A slow, disbelieving smile spread across Ochako's face as her eyes lit up. "Izuku did it!" she squealed excitedly. "He passed!"

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **OTrizy** : You have made many comments, OTrizy. I shall answer them in chronological order XD 1) Ichigo overreacted there, I actually agree with Izuku on this one. Going into a competition with the intention to lose is never a good idea... even if it is _totally_ me. 2) Yes, I figured people would think I made a mistake XD I actually specifically wrote in Ichigo recognizing her lack of a stutter so the readers would know it was intentional. 3) Borrow the name? As long as it doesn't end up in writing, I'm cool XD And for the story in your head: " _Hakuen_ " means _white smoke_. I chose it because her quirk creates thick white steam that can look like Ichigo is on fire. If you have seen Attack On Titan, imagine the titans. 4) Okay, so there are two explanations for Ichigo paying for Shouto's flowers. You can pick which one you like. The first is that because of her anxiety and generally spazzy personality, she feels its her responsibility to pay for Shouto's flowers since she dragged him to the flower shop and suggested he buy them in the first place. Basically she guilt-tripped herself into it. The second answer is actually a question: What do you do when you have a crush?

 **Prince** : You ship Iida x Ichigo? You are not the first person to tell me this, actually. There's been a few others. On my other story, I sometimes do "special chapters" where I write AUs for popular concepts or ideas I see in the comments. Maybe I'll do one for that ship? As for the cavalry battle: THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have no idea how long I spent brainstorming and shifting the teams until I reached a decision. I talked my roommate's ear off, because I like to brainstorm via one-sided conversations XD Thanks!

 **Anon** : And yet another person jumps on the Shouchigo ship. I know on my other story (because I did a poll) that there's at least 100 people already aboard... I feel like I should do another poll again soon XD I'm super happy that Ichigo seems realistic. I spent months creating and recreating her character until I came up with something I liked. The fact that her emotional responses and difficulties help make her be a balanced character is amazing. That was what I was going for when I created her. Ichigo is an opportunist. Her childhood kinda sucked, but she took what good she could from it, and carried herself and her emotional-baggage onward towards a hopefully brighter future. Her innate intelligence is meant to balance out her lack of an offensive quirk. Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this comment made my day.

 **AllisBlanche** : I'm glad Ichigo comes across as authentic, and that the plot feels unique. I put a lot of thought into how the story progresses and changes, so thank you!

 **Ceralyn** : Yes, I had a lot of fun imagining Ochako's deadpan face when she made that comment XD It might have been a bit OOC, but I'm afraid that was the author bleeding through onto the characters.

 **GreenDrkness** : Yeah, keeping all the charts and idea-notebooks and etc. can be really difficult. I am so fortunate for my computer, it is my baby. My files are complete messes but it works, I guess XD I don't know if I can comment on all boys being perverts. I can hope, at least, that it's not the case. I can't tell you about Present Mic's defeat beforehand, because that would be spoiling my own story XD Thank you!

 **xenocanaan** : Thanks! And here is your next chapter!

 **Katr5432** : You're welcome! I'm always happy to respond to comments on my story(ies)! And I have much planned... MUAHAHAHA!

 **Anon** : Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the story!


	38. Episode 38: Tenya And Momo Stand Up!

I entered the arena beside Recovery Girl, eyes wide. The model city's main street looked fried, with small bits of electricity still sparking off of the broken edges of metal scattered across the road. In the center of it all, Izuku and Kaminari were laying sprawled out on the ground, eyes shut and covered in injuries. All Might sat on the pavement above them, and I found it slightly scary to see the top hero looking dazed. Kaminari had to have pushed his absolute limit.

"I'll heal All Might, his injuries are comparatively minor," Recovery Girl declared. "You handle your classmates, clear Kurosaki?" When it came to medicine, Recovery Girl was always serious.

I nodded, clenching my jaw. "Got it, ma'am," I confirmed, hurrying over to kneel between Izuku and Kaminari. I reached out, gently tapping them on the foreheads, extending my quirk over. Both boys instantly vanished into a burst of steam, and I swallowed, seeing a lump in Izuku's costume vanish. Had he broken his ribs? What had I just signed myself up for?

I pushed up to my feet, seeing the steam surrounding them already starting to vanish. "Recovery Girl, I'm going back to the observation room," I declared, turning sharply on my heel and darting out of the model city.

I whirled out of the testing ground gates, keeping a mental count of how many seconds had passed. When I spotted a girl's restroom, I darted inside, door slamming behind me as I ran into one of the stalls, taking my scarf and tucking it between my teeth just as I deactivated my quirk.

My chest felt like it was on fire, and my head felt like someone had smacked me with a bat. Izuku had definitely gotten himself some broken ribs and a concussion. I crashed to the floor, unable to feel disgusted when it practically felt like my skin was burning up and peeling off. Sweat beading on my forehead, I panted for air, drool gathering in the corners of my mouth.

"That's fucking disgusting," a gruff voice interjected, and my head jerked up to see Bakugo standing in the middle of the stall, since I'd never locked the door.

My eyes widened in shock, and the only thing I could think to say was, "This is the girl's bathroom."

"Congratu-fucking-lations Sherlock, you're a real genius," Bakugo huffed, crossing his arms. There was a long, awkward pause, where I shakily climbed to my feet and wiped my mouth clean. "This happens every time?" Bakugo asked.

I shrugged, trying to cover my sheepishness up with a giggle. "Sort of. It's kinda like biting a bullet, I guess. It's better than feeling the pain while fighting," I offered. "It's really just circumstantial…"

Bakugo stared at me appraisingly. "Whatever, stupid bitch," he said finally, turning around. "I don't need your fucking help during the test anyway. Keep your goddamn powers to yourself, Ichimi," he ordered, storming out of the bathroom.

I blinked, and then ran after him. "Wait! That doesn't make sense, you can't beat Mister Aiza-" I cut myself off as I skidded to a stop out in the hallway. Bakugo was already long gone. I grit my teeth, narrowing my eyes. "I don't think I'm the stupid one," I muttered, marching back towards the observation room for real.

* * *

"Test 5, begin," Principal Nezu's recorded voice announced. The entrance gate slid open, and instantly a blur came flying out. Tenya, with Tokoyami on his back, went charging towards the gate, moving quicker than he ever had before. His training with his family had clearly been very successful.

Present Mic, from his spot across the open, rocky landscape, grinned. His sunglasses flashed as he reached up and turned the volume screws on his amplifier. "HEYYYYYYYYY!" he howled, voice screaming through the air until the soundwaves were almost visible, causing dirt to scatter across the ground.

Jirou, trailing after Tenya at a smooth jog, instantly slid to a stop. Her earjacks plugged into her boots, and with a concentrated expression she managed to overwhelm the incoming soundwaves with her own heartbeat. She winced as several seconds passed, doing her best to protect her teammates from the long range attack.

Tenya, picking up on the opening Jirou had created, tensed his grip on Tokoyami's legs. "Recipro-" he began, as the engines attached to his legs started to glow with blue flames. "-BURST!" he shouted, shooting forward at ridiculous speeds.

In moments, he had managed to cover most of the ground between himself and Present Mic, who was still grinning.

"Agh!" Jirou winced, her own noise-canceling sound waves giving out as she clapped her hands over her ears. She had a splitting headache from concentrating on emitting sound for so long.

Present Mic immediately picked up on the figure falling down across the field. He smiled victoriously. "Looks like the game's changed!" he cheered, turning the volume up even higher on his stereo. "YEAA- holy!" his scream abruptly cut off as Dark Shadow slammed into his speakers, crushing the machinery with prejudice.

Tenya skidded to a stop as his engines gave out, dropping Tokoyami to the ground. Dark Shadow ripped the smashed stereo away from the Pro Hero, sending it flying before lunging forwards again.

Present Mic grinned, but with a hint of nervousness. "Well if that's how it's gonna be, I can still use my quirk!" he yelled. "YEEAH!" he hollered, sending out a wave of violent sound, that nearly knocked Tenya and Tokoyami over.

"Shut up, blondie!" Dark Shadow snarled, rocketing towards Present Mic and forcing the Pro Hero to weave out of the way. "Your ugly voice is making my damn ears bleed!"

"Thanks for the credit, listener!" Present Mic said, accepting the insult with a wide smile. "Now, YEA-" he froze as a loud bell chimed throughout the entire testing grounds.

Tenya panted for air on the other side of the exit gate. "Group 5 passes," Nezu announced. Tokoyami bowed his head, cloak spreading as Dark Shadow reeled back in to its host.

Present Mic pushed up his glasses. "Well, this is embarrassing," he commented to no one, as Tokoyami turned around to help Jirou stand up.

* * *

Tenya entered the observation room a few minutes later, and I was in front of him in seconds. "That was amazing!" I complimented, eyes bright. "I didn't even expect you to run for it like that - you made him focus on your quirk, and then sneaked past him! Talk about mind games," I smiled happily.

Tenya chuckled. "Thank you, Ichigo," he said warmly. "In all honesty, I did not expect my plan to be as successful as it was," he continued. "When I ran for the gate without my quirk, I was fully convinced Dark Shadow would not be enough of a distraction…"

Izuku stepped forward, grinning brightly. "It was awesome regardless," he declared, stepping beside me. "You really thought that out quickly. Stationing Jirou at the entrance gate to wait for Present Mic's attack was brilliant. Good quirk usage, you make a great leader!"

"You should've seen them," Ochako laughed, slinging her arm over Izuku's shoulders and patting me on the head. I wrinkled my nose, because that made me feel short. "They were so excited, they were practically finishing each other's sentences running commentary."

Tenya pushed up his glasses calmly. "My plan was fairly simple, I don't think that it was worth that much praise," he said humbly.

"Simple, but effective," Shouto added from his spot in front of the screens. "Efficiency is better than complexity."

Tenya looked surprised for a moment by Todoroki's words, before finally nodding in acceptance. "Thank you," he said, smiling gratefully.

Ochako squirmed in between Izuku and I, hands outstretched. "Let me try on your helmet," she demanded, snatching it from Tenya's surprised hands. She popped it on her head, and crossed her arms. "I'm keeping this for my test!" she declared, wheeling around towards the door.

"I don't think you are allowed!" Tenya protested, trying vainly to retrieve his helmet as Izuku and I laughed in background.

* * *

Momo faced Kirishima and Ochako, face solemn. "Ectoplasm's quirk allows him to create nearly unlimited clones of himself," she began. "It is likely this will be a battle of attrition."

Kirishima held up his arm, skin rock hard. "I'm the stamina king!" he declared. "If you need to outlast him, count me in!"

"That is the problem," Momo said, shaking her head. "We cannot allow Ectoplasm to control the pace of this fight, or we will inevitably lose," she pointed at Ochako. "Ochako, please lower the gravity on Kirishima. I will attach weights to his ankles. Kirishima, when the time comes and we near the gate, I need you to be prepared to be sent flying," she ordered.

Ochako nodded, confident in her friend's abilities. "You got it!" she agreed, reaching forwards and lowering the effect of gravity on Kirishima easily.

The redhead's eyes widened as he felt his feet hover over the ground lightly. "Woah!" he gasped, arms wheeling in shock.

Momo crouched down, hands holding the weights she'd just created. "Here," she said, buckling them around Kirishima's ankles. He lowered back to the ground immediately. "Be ready to take them off," she cautioned.

Kirishima shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, before nodding. "You got it!" he confirmed, grinning at Momo toothily.

"Good," Momo said, meeting both her teammates eyes. "Kirishima, you will lead the way. Ochako, you must be ready to dispatch any opponents that get close enough to attack us," Momo held up her hands, and the skin of her palms shimmered for a moment, before pistols appeared. "I will eliminate the most I can long range."

Kirishima's jaw dropped. "Are those actual guns?!" he gaped, staring in shock at the (highly illegal) weapons.

"They are part of my quirk, and therefore legal," Momo offered in explanation.

Kirishima gave her a thumbs up. "Super manly!" he complimented, ignoring Momo's baffled expression.

Suddenly, the gates let out a loud chime, ending their conversation. "Test 6, start," Nezu's recording declared as the grounds opened. Momo slid behind Kirishima smoothly, gesturing for the redhead to move forward. Kirishima gulped, before leading the way forwards, Momo directly behind him and Ochako on their combined heels.

Their testing ground was a large metal facility, with a series of tunnels. Momo directed the group towards the north-most one silently, pointing the way. The team darted forwards in formation, continually scanning for any enemies.

They made it through the first tunnel, when Ectoplasm's first clone appeared. "Prepare your-" the clone began menacingly, only to be silenced by a loud shot. There was a pause, and then the clone collapsed into paste, bullet lodged through it's skull.

Momo scanned the room for more clones, not having hesitated at all. Kirishima exchanged a wide eyed look with Ochako, who only nodded knowingly in response. Momo had undergone some serious training with Gunhead during their apprenticeship.

The nearly invisible fog scattered throughout the model facility began popping out more clones within a moments notice, the various copies charging towards the group. Most of them were eliminated with loud bangs from Momo's pistols, vanishing into the air. Unfortunately, one managed to dodge a bullet, aiming a kick at the resident gun wielder. Kirishima blocked the blow immediately, arms hardening instinctively as he shoved the Pro Hero copy away. Before he could attack, however, Ochako was already slamming her foot in the clone's face, watching it poof into nothingness. Her expression was almost evil.

Kirishima shuddered. "Talk about manly," he muttered, stunned by abrupt show of merciless force.

"Move forward," Momo ordered, all business, and the team quickly started towards the next tunnel.

* * *

"She is vicious," I complimented, feeling impressed as Momo gunned down clone after clone. As soon as she ran out of bullets, she simply dropped her current gun and made a new one, not bothering to ever reload.

Tenya glanced at me surreptitiously. "You sound very… happy," he observed nervously.

"Of course I am!" I agreed excitedly. "I wish I could use guns like that! She's massacring them…" I crossed my arms huffily.

"Right…" Tenya agreed cautiously. He clearly hadn't been aware of my admiration for violence. "It is an incredible display of skill." I smiled sweetly in response, just to see Tenya suppress a shudder.

* * *

As they approached the final gate, Momo and Ochako battled determinedly to keep Ectoplasm's clones at bay. Kirishima had only had the chance to interact with a few, the girls' being extremely effective guards. Stepping out of the last tunnel and catching sight of the entrance gate, the group froze at the sight of the actual Pro Hero standing in the middle of the room.

"Good job getting past the others," Ectoplasm started, voice sounding almost robotic. "But what will you do against _this_?" he challenged, fog erupting around him, bubbling and growing until it formed a monstrously large version of the Pro Hero's head, mouth open and teeth bared.

Kirishima recoiled in shock, but Momo was already on the move. "Ochako, now!" she ordered, and the brunette dropped to the floor, shutting the gravity off on Kirishima entirely, including his new weights. A second later, Momo spun around and slammed her foot against Kirishima's back in a perfect roundhouse. Kirishima got sent shooting towards the exit gate at top speed, and also straight for the gigantic clone's mouth.

"WOOAAH!" Kirishima shouted, stunned by abrupt move to sacrifice him. Unfortunately, without gravity he was helpless to stop himself from rocketing forwards, speed unchanging. Just as he prepared to get himself swallowed, he felt something brush his side, and then a cannonball tore through the back of the giant clone's throat, creating an opening for him to fly through.

Kirishima crashed against the wall on the other side of the exit gate, and he heard Ochako shout something unintelligible right before he dropped to the ground. Kirishima took a deep breath, eyes wide in shock as Ectoplasm complimented the two girls on their counterattack. "Holy shit," he mumbled, before grinning with determination and holding up his clenched fist. "That was awesome!" he cheered, eyes shining.

"Team 6 passes," Principal Nezu echoed, ending the second to last exam.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **xenocanaan** : Thanks! And here it is :)

 **OTrizy** : You're welcome :) And don't worry about it. I've heard many different things, but writing is a combination of effort and talent. I practiced a lot to even reach my current mediocre level, so if you really want to improve, you just need to dedicate your time to it!

 **Prince** : I'm just imagining a pirate ship named the _Shouchigo_ kidnapping people now XD I hope you managed to find the other website. Were you able to? And if you did, did you enjoy the special chapters? I've been considering posting some of them on this site as well, but I'm undecided.

 **GreenDrkness** : I am Recovery Girl and Recovery Girl is me XD I don't have an experience myself, so I can't have an opinion on perversion. Although I have been told I'm oblivious, so...? And yeah, Kaminari and Sero just had serious wake up calls XD


	39. Special 1: Philophobia (Soulmate AU)

**Philophobia: A Soulmate AU**

* * *

 _Along with quirks, people are born with words tattooed on their body that connect them to their soulmates. (Alternatively: Ichigo Kurosaki fights fate, and fate fights back.)_

* * *

 _I_

 **There are three laws governing soulmate bonds**. I know them by heart, mostly because they're taught in kindergarten and repeated every grade thereafter with increasing detail. Law #1: If you are a human, you have a soulmate. Law #2: The first words your soulmate speaks _to you_ will be tattooed somewhere on your body in their handwriting. Law #3: Your soulmate is your perfect match.

Plenty of companies make money off of finding soulmate pairs, hunting down people who are lucky enough to know their soulmates names off the bat. Commercials, movies, and popular literature love to romanticise the idea of a "soulmate", and the entirety of society is in love with the idea of fated, perfect pairs. Although some marriages aren't fated pairs, they're generally looked down upon as "improper."

I had been of the opinion since a young age that it was all propaganda. That was mostly because of my grandmother and her soulmate's affect on my life (no one should be willing to sacrifice a child for their own happiness) and the fact my soulmate was a jerk.

"How did I know they're a jerk?" you might ask? The explanation was fairly simple, because tattooed along my collarbone were the words: _I'm stronger than you_.

Whoever and wherever my soulmate was, I hoped the words tattooed across their forehead were: _Challenge accepted_.

* * *

 _II_

 **Izuku was a bit nervous to meet his soulmate.** Mostly because he was pretty sure their introduction was going to be messy. The reason behind that assumption are the neatly printed words on his thigh reading: _Sorry about that, but it'd be bad luck to trip on your first day!_

If Izuku was a little neurotic about watching his feet whenever he walked into school each new year, he had a perfectly good excuse. And it wasn't that he wasn't excited to meet his soulmate! Honestly, he couldn't even begin to explain how happy he was that he even _had_ a soulmate (more than one rumor had suggested that useless, quirkless Deku didn't have a soulmate either, but these rumors were quickly dispelled by Kacchan in a roar of explosions and enraged yelling), but that didn't mean he wanted to meet them in a bout of clumsiness!

Fortunately, just because Izuku had terrible, horrible luck with his soulmate, didn't mean everyone else did. Kacchan, Izuku's very talented best friend, was lucky enough to have his soulmate's name revealed in the greeting scrawled down his spine: _Nice to meet you, my name's Eijirou Kirishima!_ Kacchan was very proud of this, and when he turned five, his parents paid one of those expensive soulmate-hunter companies to track down their son's perfect match.

Eijirou Kirishima was a boy with bright red eyes and hair, along with sharp, shark-like teeth. He was very kind to Izuku, and he managed Kacchan's bouts of arrogance with the patience and even-temper of a saint. Izuku and Kacchan's relationship had always been rocky, and Izuku could probably credit Eijirou with his and Kacchan's continued friendship.

Needless to say, Izuku liked Eijirou a _lot_ , and couldn't wait to meet his own soulmate.

* * *

 _III_

 **Shouto's mother didn't like to talk about soulmates.** She told Shouto about how her and his father met many times - the incredible experience of being rescued by the #2 hero, only to find out he was her soulmate - but whenever Shouto asked about his own soulmate, she would go very quiet, and her eyes would water before she changed the subject abruptly. His father didn't look much happier, and sometimes when Shouto's shirt sleeves rode up, he'd catch Endeavor frowning at the graceful kanji curling around his bicep. At one point, Shouto got frustrated, and demanded that his mother tell him what the words on his arm meant. She patted him on the head and said that she'd explain when he was older.

"Older" turned out to be when he turned four, and Fuyumi taught him to read the pretty, complex script lining his arm. Shouto sounded out each kanji victoriously, and then an instant later comprehended their meaning. A chill ran down his spine. _There's been worse ways to die_ , stood out in bold black on his skin, unmistakable. Shouto wouldn't meet his soulmate until their life was endangered, and suddenly he understood why his mother looked so unbearably sad at the mention of his fated partner.

The next day, Shouto walked up to his father and begged him to teach him how to fight with his quirk. Endeavor, confused by Shouto's sudden interest in combat training, asked why.

"I want to be strong enough to protect my soulmate," Shouto answered, fists clenched and jaw set with determination. "I… I want to become a hero, so I can keep them safe."

Endeavor set a heavy hand on Shouto's head, and smiled proudly. "Fair enough," he said. "But I'll have to talk to your mother first."

Shouto grinned, and promised his soulmate, whoever and wherever they are, that he would save them. (He spends the next ten years being haunted by nightmares of faceless, screaming victims falling under invisible murderers' blades, dead before he could love or be loved by them. His parents don't complain when Shouto moves into Fuyumi's bedroom.)

* * *

 _IV_

 **The first day of school was always nerve-wracking** , and I liked to pretend I wasn't prepared to stab myself in the gut to avoid entering the classroom. Mister Aizawa had made it very clear the day before that if I tried to hide and avoid meeting my classmates, he'd force me to run laps around the school until I collapsed. I'd faced that punishment before and knew that Mister Aizawa had a policy of "100% follow through". It was sufficient motivation for me to decide that sitting in my desk quietly and avoiding eye contact was my best shot at survival.

The first time the classroom door opened, a boy with green curls and a girl with rosy cheeks came bumbling in, smiling contently and chatting up a storm. I noted their clasped hands and happily flushed cheeks, and realized they were soulmates. My nose wrinkled, and I turned to look out the window instead.

Soulmates were repulsive to me. They created single-minded obsessions that were painful for everyone involved, and personally, I didn't think heroes should even be allowed to _have_ soulmates, because they would ultimately prioritize their soulmate's safety above all else. There had been multiple incidences in the past of villains attempting to kidnap heroes' soulmates for leverage, only to get brutally slaughtered by the hero in question after they entered a protective, vengeful rage. Everyone is taught from a young age that murder is wrong, but the media celebrated those heroes for their dedication to their partners. It was a gross double-standard.

"Excuse me? Do you mind if I sit here?" A polite voice interrupted my grumpy daze. I blinked, glancing back over my shoulder to see a tall girl with a puffy ponytail pointing to the desk behind me.

I smiled reassuringly. "Not at all," I said, and the girl sat down. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, by the way. What's yours?" I inquired, watching her organize her belongings inside her desk.

The other girl lifted her head and offered me a warm grin. "My name is Momo Yaoyorozu. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kurosaki," she responded kindly. "Are you excited for the new school year?"

"Yep!" I agreed, giggling. Yaoyorozu had a natural aura of brightness around her, and I couldn't help but match her bubliness with my own. "I still can't believe I got into Yuuei Academy!"

Yaoyorozu nodded. "Indeed! My family very much appreciated my acceptance into the recommendation program," she paused, and pursed her lips. "I apologize, did that sound arrogant?" Yaoyorozu asked concernedly.

"Not at all! I'm glad that you're part of the recommendation program actually," I answered, slightly relieved. "I'm part of the scholarship program, so neither of us have to feel like braggarts." I'd been worried about telling anyone about my scholarship status because of how prestigious and competitive the program was, but if Yaoyorozu was part of the recommendation program, than we were most likely on the same level.

Yaoyorozu instantly brightened again. "That's amazing! You must be a very accomplished student!" she cheered, and I smiled bashfully, nodding along. Her sudden acceptance of my status surprised me, but also bolstered my confidence about attempting to befriend her.

Unfortunately, before I could speak again, a new voice cut in. "Excuse me, but you shouldn't converse so loudly!" A new person scolded, appearing between Yaoyorozu and I. "Our teacher could arrive any moment, and it would be disrespectful to them if we behave poorly! It is of the utmost importance we make a good impression!"

Yaoyorozu's mouth fell open, and I looked at her oddly, before facing the newcomer. "My apologies," I said, ducking my head and deciding this new, zealous personality would probably be easiest to deal with if I just surrendered. "We will attempt to keep our voices down from now on."

"... Those were my words," Yaoyorozu whispered breathlessly, and despite the noise of the quickly filling classroom both the boy and I froze.

The boy pushed his glasses up his nose, lenses flashing. "Ah, those were mine as well," he confirmed awkwardly. There's a long pause, and then the boy extends his hand. "My name is Tenya Iida," he introduced. "It is nice to meet you."

Yaoyorozu took his head gently, still looking stunned. "Momo Yaoyorozu," she responded automatically. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Watching the two stare at each other in silence made my stomach twist, so I coughed into my hand to break the quiet. Both snapped their gazes to me, and I smiled, trying to cover the nauseous feeling building in my gut. "I'm glad you both have met each other, but you might want to follow your own advice, Iida," I suggested, pointing at the clock. "Class starts in thirty seconds, but I'm sure there will be time for you to talk later."

"Ah, yes. Of course!" Iida said, straightening. "Until later, Yaoyorozu," he added, spinning around and marching over to his desk stiffly. Yaoyorozu watched him walk away, an odd twinkle in her eye.

I bit my lip to stop myself from grimacing. "Ah, Yaoyorozu?" I asked, and when she didn't look towards me, too focused on Iida, I sighed. Soulmates were the worst.

Moments later, Mister Aizawa slid the classroom door open and slouched into the classroom, finally pulling Yaoyorozu's eyes away from her newly found soulmate. I listened to his explanation of the Quirk Assessment Test half-heartedly, wondering if befriending Yaoyorozu would even be possible now. After meeting each other, soulmates could become fixated for possibly weeks on end. Growing closer to her could be impossible.

"Stupid soulmate bonds," I muttered as I climbed to my feet, following the crowd of students towards the locker rooms.

* * *

 _V_

 **I didn't end up befriending Yaoyorozu**. After their shared discovery, Yaoyorozu and Iida had been glued to each other's sides for the rest of the day, before finally walking home together. They weren't the only ones. Including the girl and boy I'd first seen, Class 1-A had no less than 6 different soulmate pairs, and it was only day two. I was disgusted by it all, and did my best to seperate myself from the "happy couples". I ended up hanging out with a girl named Mina Ashido and a boy named Hanta Sero, who were part of the half of the class _not_ making cow eyes at each other.

"Ashido, is that really necessary?" I asked, staring at the pink-skinned girl as she walked out of the locker room on her hands. Ashido's costume was colorful and patterned, a sharp contrast to the dull, dark fabric of my own uniform. It matched our personalities well, in my opinion.

Ashido's feet wavered, and she folded forward and stood up. "Not really, but it's fun!" she laughed, offering me a bright grin.

I smiled in response, lips closed. Ashido was childish and cocky in the worst sort of way, the way that Mister Aizawa had warned me would get me killed. Still, she and Sero were better companions than anyone else, so I suffered in silence. At least Ashido would make a good sparring partner.

Sero appeared over Ashido's should, hands on his hips proudly. "What do you think?" he questioned, showing off his new black, white and orange costume. "Do I look awesome or what?"

"The colors of your costume compliment each other," I said, nodding appreciatively. "You designed it well." I hadn't designed my costume, but I was sure that even if I'd had the opportunity, I wouldn't have done near as well as Sero.

"Thanks!" Sero responded, before pointing at my costume. "But since we're talking about colors, what's that supposed to be?" he demanded, gesturing to my all-black outfit. I shrugged, not having a response.

Ashido propped her elbow on top of my head and waggled a finger in Sero's face. "Black is never out of style, Sero," she scolded jokingly. "Don't you know anything about fashion?"

"The person wearing purple and green camouflage doesn't get to talk," Sero said teasingly. Ashido gasped in mock offence, but before she could speak, All Might cut in, announcing the start of our first exercise: the Battle Trials. I listened to him read out each pair in silence. When he finished drawing out the names, I took a long second to see if I'd missed something. I hadn't.

Raising my hand, I asked dryly, "Excuse me, sir, but what team am I on?" My expression was flat and expectant, a mirror image of Mister Aizawa after a long day of grading papers.

All Might's eyes widened, and he coughed into his hand sheepishly. "Ah, yes! Miss Kurosaki, feel free to join team… I!" he announced, and with an eye roll I turned away from the embarrassed hero to greet my new teammates.

I scanned them distastefully, recognizing them as one of the many soulmate pairs in the class. Tooru Hagakure and Mashirao Ojiro, quirks of invisibility and a strong tail. They weren't giving me much to work with on a raw power level, but I'd do my best to give us a tactical advantage.

"It's nice to meet you," I said, the lie tasting sour. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki." I pasted a smile on my face, trying to hide how upset I was about being in a group with a complete soulmate pair.

Hagakure giggled. "It's nice to meet you too!" she said happily, and Ojiro's arm moved as she hugged it against her chest (or so I assumed). "My name's Tooru Hagakure, and this is my soulmate, Mashirao Ojiro!"

I ducked my head, pretending I hadn't already read Mister Aizawa's files on them and knew much more information than just their names. "I hope we will work well together," I continued formally, and bit my tongue to stop myself from gagging when Hagakure giggled again as Ojiro wrapped his arm around her shoulders affectionately.

All Might let out a booming laugh, interrupting our "friendly" introductions. "ARE YOU READY TO BEGIN YOUR MATCHES?!" he asked, as if our answers even mattered. Before anyone could even respond, All Might plunged his hands into the two drawing boxes, and pulled out two cards. "FIRST UP IS TEAM A VERSUS TEAM D!"

A happy laugh rang out. "Izuku, that's us!" A girl said excitedly, and I saw the same boy and girl from the first day approach All Might immediately. The green haired boy - who I identified as Izuku Midoriya - smiled down at a brown haired girl with rosy cheeks. Ochako Uraraka was dragging Midoriya forward happily, and I felt the urge to vomit at the lovesick look in their eyes.

"Oi, Deku!" A brash voice cut in, and my eyes flickered over to see a blonde, red-eyed boy peel away from the crowd. "I'm going to win this!"

Midoriya grinned at the snarling boy. "I'd like to see you try, Kacchan!" he teased. Just when I thought the blonde was going to lunge forward, and redhead with spiky hair pulled up beside him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Woah Katsuki, take a breather," the boy urged, and I frowned at the revealing nature of Eijirou Kirishima's costume. Had he no shame?

The blonde, who had been previously chomping at the bit, instantly relaxed. "Whatever," he huffed, turning away from Midoriya, who just chuckled as Uraraka tittered behind her hand. Kirishima thumped his soulmate on the back, and I turned away, uninterested in their match. Who wanted to see a bunch of friends play-fight? Instead, I spent the valuable time I was being given to strategize.

When my match finally rolled around, I was fully prepared to lead my team to victory. I'd set up a series of contingency plans based on the remaining teams for whatever role my group could assume: Villain or Hero. Personally, I had my hopes set on being a villain, they had much better chances for winning.

Perched over the entrance gate next to Hagakure, I reviewed my stratagem. Todoroki and Shouji would enter the gate expecting to track down the team and subsequent rocket. Once Shouji revealed an opening, Hagakure would capture him with a ribbon. Todoroki would then freeze her, and I would act as a distraction so Hagakure could rip herself free and capture Todoroki as well, under the protection of my quirk. Meanwhile, Ojiro would wait and watch from the rooftops, ready to escape with the missle if necessary.

I smirked, hearing All Might begin the ten second countdown. This would be a piece of cake.

"BEGIN!" All Might shouted, and the gate under us slid open. Todoroki and Shouji walked in quietly, eyes focused on the path ahead of them. Beside me, Hagakure tensed, but I held my hand up as a gesture to wait.

Shouji spread his arms, multiple noses and ears searching for any traces of our team. There was a long pause, while he sniffed the air and listened in. "There's a trace of them heading North - _wait!_ " he yelled, hearing the sound of Hagakure leaping forward moment before a neat white ribbon tied itself around his highest tentacle.

With Shouji now captured, Hagakure moved to flee. Before she could, however, Todoroki froze her up to the neck. I winced at the ruthlessness of it, realizing that if Hagakure wasn't guarded by my quirk, she'd currently be at risk for frostbite. It was harsh, but practical.

"Nice try, but you won't escape," he told Hagakure. I tensed, and just before Todoroki could thicken the ice binding Hagakure down, I lunged forward, foot aimed for the back of his head. In a surprising show of reflexes, Todoroki spun around, arms raised to block my attack. I hit his forearms and slid, landing in a backhandspring before twisting to my feet. As I took a combat position, Todoroki stared me down. "I'm stronger than you," he declared confidently. "You won't beat me."

The rational part of my brain told me to back down, and continue to distract Todoroki for as long as possible. However, as the blood rushed to my brain and pounded in my ears, logic was the last thing on my mind. _This_ was my soulmate. _This_ was the asshole that had branded me from birth as weak. I was going to tear him to bits, rules and training be damned.

Vision tinged red, I rushed forward, aiming a kick at Todoroki's right side. When he crunched to block the blow with his elbow, I darted forward and planted a vicious fist in his throat. Todoroki gagged, but even as he choked he managed to repel me with a burst of scathing flames, sending me tumbling backwards in an attempt to dodge. As soon as I hit the ground, ice crawled up my body and restrained me. Panting for air, Todoroki opened his mouth to say something smug, fire curling into the air from his shoulders, just as a white ribbon laced itself around his boot.

"VILLAIN TEAM WINS!" All Might proclaimed, but as Todoroki reached out to melt the ice restraining me, I felt anything but victorious. When the taller teen offered a hand to help me up, I slapped it away and rolled backwards to my feet, stalking off the training field.

Right then and there, I promised myself I wouldn't say a word to Shouto Todoroki. His skin had better be blank, and if any words were traced there, I expected them to say something along the lines of: _fuck you, asshole_.

* * *

 _VI_

 **My new friends were surprisingly tolerant** of my bad attitude. Ashido and Sero rolled with whatever sour comments I made, sometimes even going so far as to agree. It surprised me, when Ashido nodded along to one of my more bitter comments about Uraraka's inability to focus in class because of Midoriya.

"It's aggravating," I huffed, swallowing another gigantic bite of steak and rice, glaring at the table sulkily. "She's constantly sighing and staring at him, and it's distracting me! Like honestly, if you don't want to pay attention in class, that's fine, but don't make everyone else suffer!"

Ashido nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's really unfair," she agreed, and I jolted in shock, staring at her with wide eyes. Soulmate behavior was normally so tolerated that most people would ignore my words, or tell me off for my opinion. Ashido picked up on my astoundment, and laughed at my stupefied face. "Why are you so surprised? It really does seem unfair!" she chuckled, before shaking her head. "Uraraka doesn't pay attention during lectures, but Yaoyorozu helps her after class anyways," Ashido explained, a bitter twist to her lips. "I'm actually trying to learn, but Uraraka still does better than me."

I bit my lip unsurely. I hadn't realized that Ashido had been having trouble in class. I hadn't really cared to know, not considering her important enough to invest any real time in. But she was sympathetic to me, she was willing to _understand_ how I felt in a way no one else was.

"Tell you what, I'll tutor you on the material after school as long as you promise to warn me whenever Todoroki is nearby," I compromised, and this time it was Ashido's turn to look at me with rounded black and yellow eyes. "I have perfect scores across the board, I know I can simplify and explain the material if you need me to."

Ashido blinked for a moment, and then a huge grin spread across her lips. "Seriously? Thank you so much, Kurosaki!" she cheered, throwing her arms up in a cheer.

I smiled despite myself, and unlike before it wasn't fake. "You're welcome," I said, and held out my hand to shake on it. Ashido smacked her hand against mine firmly, gripping my hand hard enough to hurt and shaking my arm vigorously.

"I don't know why you want to avoid Todoroki, but you've got a deal," Ashido said, eyes bright with excitement. My smile grew a little tighter around the corners, but Ashido just released my hand and sat back in her seat. She cracked her knuckles, expression determined. "This is going to be great," she declared.

Sero suddenly slid back into his seat, having returned from the bathroom. "What's going to be great?" he asked, jumping into the conversation without permission.

"Kuro-chan offered to help tutor me after school!" Ashido answered excitedly, and I flinched at the new nickname. I hated having "-chan" attached to my name, it brought bad memories.

"'Kuro-chan'?" I choked out, sounding like I was being strangled.

Ashido looked at me, grinning proudly at her creativity. "Yep!" she agreed. "Your hair is black, you're cute and small, and it's part of your last name!" she declared. "It's perfect!"

Sero leaned forward, smiling widely as well. "Hey, mind if I join in, Kuro-chan?" he requested, jerking a thumb at Ashido. "I'm not having as much trouble as her, but I could use some extra study time." Ashido shoved his hand away from her face in mock offence, and they both laughed.

I swallowed, and told myself that Yuuei was a new beginning. I'd left Asano-chan behind already. "Sure," I agreed, and I didn't resist when Ashido reached forward to ruffle my hair. I had friends now, I could use a new nickname. Why not?

* * *

 _VII_

 **By the time the Sports Festival began** , Ashido and Sero were fully entrenched in my life. I couldn't remove them even if I wanted to. I spent my mornings training with Mister Aizawa, getting ready in the locker rooms before heading to class, and I spent my evenings studying and training with Ashido and Sero, finally falling asleep out behind a restaurant near the school. I hadn't ever thought I would grow so close to them both (or anyone), but I found myself laughing at inside jokes and teaching them judo-flips until suddenly, I realized I had actual, real friends. Of the not-imaginary variety.

It startled me so badly, that I fell out of my chair in the middle of class.

The day of the Sports Festival, Mister Aizawa had given me the morning off, so I met up with Ashido and Sero at the cafeteria to eat breakfast. Normally, eating at the school cafeteria wouldn't be the best idea, but Lunch-Rush was in charge of the Yuuei cafeteria, so we ate like kings.

Giggling as I watched Sero slather in pancakes in enough syrup to drown a man, I set aside my anxiety about the upcoming competition. It was hard to be stressed when Sero was filling up on sugar and Ashido was trying to rob everyone of their food.

"Take that bitches!" Ashido crowed triumphantly, stuffing her mouth full of one of Sero's drowning victims; said boy looked downtrodden at Ashido's thorough demolition of his food. I laughed anyways. Being around Ashido and Sero just in general made me happy. It was a bit strange, but I didn't really mind.

Sero lunged forward out of nowhere, grabbing a handful of Ashido's sausages and shoving them into his mouth. "Hah!" he barked back, voice gargled from the amount of meat blocking his airway. At this point I was giggling so hard I couldn't breathe, reduced to wheezing and gasping for air as my eyes watered.

Ashido gaped at him, and then narrowed her eyes. "You jerk," she hissed. "I will avenge my breakfast!" she rallied, before reaching out, grabbing the syrup bottle, and spraying it in Sero's face. Sero spluttered in shock, getting some of the liquid sugar in his mouth, while Ashido sat back with a satisfied "hmph".

I took a few deep breaths, gathering enough oxygen to string a sentence together. "There's still… time to… take a shower… in the locker room…" I huffed, struggling to speak. My chest still hurt from laughing.

Sero wiped the syrup from his eyes. "Sure thing, Kuro-chan," he agreed, tossing Ashido a dirty look before striding out of the cafeteria, presumably in the direction of the boy's locker room. Ashido and I were silent for about 0.2 seconds after the cafeteria door shut, before bursting into laughter all over again.

About thirty minutes later, Ashido and I finished our meals, leaving the empty trays with their companions in a pile near the door, before heading towards our classroom. Mister Aizawa had explained in no uncertain terms that we couldn't be late on the day of the festival, because a bus would be taking us to the arena exactly two hours before the festival began. If we were late, we wouldn't get to participate, which could be potentially devastating for our future careers.

Personally I wasn't all that bothered, because I knew that my position was already secure, but on the ride over to the stadium, Ashido and Sero were two buzzing balls of nerves, squirming and fidgeting the entire way over. It remained about the same while we sat in the waiting room, listening for Present Mic to announce our time to enter the spotlight.

Sitting and watching Ashido compulsively bother Sero as a distraction, I didn't expect the sudden hand on my shoulder. A small shriek ripped itself from my mouth moments before I leaped out of my chair and onto the tabletop, fists ready. I paused when I saw Todoroki standing behind my chair, hand still extended.

I narrowed my eyes at him, cheeks heating up when I realized the entire room had gone silent and was staring at me. I slid down to the floor on the other side of the table, placing Ashido and the tabletop between Todoroki and I.

The heterochromatic boy stared at me blankly for a few moments, before lowering his hand. "Sorry," he apologized shortly.

I glanced up at Ashido expectantly, calling on her debt. The pink haired girl looked slightly startled, before she turned to face Todoroki. "Ah, I don't think your apology is accepted," she said in my stead, sounding sheepish. "What's up?"

Todoroki looked between Ashido and I curiously, before responding. "I wanted to know what Kurosaki's issue with my friends and I was," he started, clearly referring to Midoriya and his usual companions. "I've noticed her glaring, and it's become uncomfortable," he added.

I tugged on Ashido's sleeve, and when she looked down at me, I shook my head and shrugged. I had glared at Midoriya, Todoroki, and the others many times over the past few months, but only when they made nuisances of themselves. Outside of that, I didn't know what he was referring to, and if that _was_ what he was talking about, I wasn't sorry.

Ashido scratched the back of her head. "Ah, Kuro-chan says she's sorry, that she hadn't realized, and that she'll stop," Ashido translated incorrectly, and I facepalmed. Whatever, as long as Todoroki went away, I figured.

"... Right," Todoroki agreed, staring at me weirdly. He then turned on his heel sharply, walking back to his friends' table stiffly. I observed Midoriya talking to Todoroki in a reassuring manner, while Iida chopped his hand through the air several times in a stern fashion.

I cut my gaze away, looking to Ashido. "What was he talking about?" I asked, mystified. "Like, I know I've glared at them a few times… but that's when they're being annoying," I continued, befuddled.

"I guess you haven't been very subtle," Ashido answered, shrugging and shaking her head. "That, or Todoroki is being over-sensitive."

Sero leaned in. "Speaking of which, what the hell is going on between you two? Kuro-chan, why is Ashido talking for you?" he demanded, looking baffled.

I frowned, crossing my arms. "I just don't like him, okay?" I answered huffily. When Ashido and Sero continued to stare, I added, "I _really_ don't like him." I watched the two share an exasperated look before giving up. Good, I was more stubborn and had no intention of explaining.

* * *

 _VIII_

 **The first two festival games ran along smoothly enough**. I placed in third and first place respectively, and I was fairly proud of my scores. Competing neck and neck with Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugo was surprisingly pleasant. I didn't have to like them to appreciate their fighting abilities. It was when the one-on-one matches began that the real problems started.

The first battle was between Todoroki and Sero. It was a bad match-up from the beginning, placing Sero at a thorough disadvantage. I knew he was going to lose, Todoroki would either burn up Sero's tape or freeze him down, but what happened next was unprecedented. Todoroki didn't just _beat_ Sero, he wiped the floor with him in the most embarrassing manner possible. I was forced to look on from the stands as Todoroki used his fire to slowly herd Sero out of the white box, setting the concrete aflame and then watching with his hands in his pockets as Sero was coerced into stepping out of bounds by the violent heat.

When Sero's foot finally crossed the boundary, Present Mic howled out, "TODOROKI WINS!" Sero looked down at his own foot in horror, and moments later the fires vanished. Todoroki, not even bothering to look back, turned around and lifted his hand, waving up at the audience. I followed his line of sight over to Endeavor, who was looking down at his son proudly, an approving smile on his face.

With Present Mic's compliments for Endeavor's parenting in the background, I watched Sero exit the arena with slumped shoulders. My face reddened, this time not in embarrassment, but anger. Todoroki was _deaddeaddead_. Sero and Ashido were my first and only friends, an attack on them was an attack on me.

I now had double the reason to beat Todoroki up, and this was my best chance. Fuck the pain, he was going down. My fight against Shiozaki barely even registered. In my rage filled haze, the pain of being impaled wasn't even worth noticing. My nails were constantly cutting into my palms, small streams of blood dripping from between my knuckles. Ashido seemed to pick up on my fury, but she was equally upset and therefore in no place to calm me down.

Ashido went on to lose to Shinsou, my teammate from the last round. When the two shook hands before exiting the field amiably, I felt slightly better. I was upset that both my friends had lost in the first round, but at least Shinsou was respectful about it. That train of thought looped me right back to "kill Todoroki" however, and I was pissed all over again.

By the time Sero actually returned to the seating box, clearly disheartened and embarrassed, I had already fought Kirishima and entered the semifinals. The only people left for me to fight were Todoroki, Bakugo, and Midoriya. I wasn't sure if I'd be capable of beating Midoriya, simply because of how ill-matched my quirk was against his in this setting, but I was also relatively positive that if the green-haired boy continued using his hyper-powerful punches the way he was, I could potentially overwhelm him.

"Hey guys," Sero greeted flatly, sliding into his empty seat between Ashido and I. I instantly picked up on his slumped shoulders and hanging head, and bit back a growl. Todoroki wasn't even in the viewing box, sitting with his family in the front-row seating reserved for Pro Heroes, so my wrath wouldn't have a good target.

"Hey, Sero," Ashido said sympathetically. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, giving the boy half a hug. "Sorry about your match. That wasn't a good set up for you."

Sero, if possible, slouched in further. "Yeah," he agreed. "Todoroki is so much stronger than me… he didn't even have to try." Sero laughed weakly, looking to me. "Little guys like us must not even register to you guys, huh?" he asked, clearly referring to Todoroki and I's powerful quirks.

I shook my head, expression flat. "Not taking an opponent - any opponent - seriously is a mistake," I disagreed. "No matter how weak or strong someone's quirk is, its how they use it that makes a difference." I grabbed Sero's hand, ignoring my usual tendency to avoid human contact. "In an empty field like the arena, you were at every tactical disadvantage in the book, especially against someone like Todoroki, who's greatest strength lays in his ability to manipulate terrain. So don't beat yourself up. You aren't a 'little guy'," I assured him, before my expression darkened. "Besides, I'm going to beat his ass for being such a jerk to you."

Ashido stared at me with wide eyes. "Uh, Kuro-chan? The festival isn't the best place for a grudge match…" she informed me. "I get that you're pissed - I am too - but we're on TV right now."

"I'm not going to talk," I assured her. "I'll just make sure that he suffers as much as possible within the bounds of the rules." Ashido didn't look very reassured. I shrugged, leaning back in my seat and looking downwards. Present Mic had just declared that Bakugo and Midoriya would be facing each other in the semifinals. I smirked, realizing that meant my chance to fight Todoroki was here.

"Excuse me, Kurosaki?" A familiarly annoying voice cut in. I narrowed my eyes and turned around to see Uraraka, who was looking at me concernedly. "Did you just say you wanted to make Shouto suffer?" she repeated questioningly.

I stared at her flatly. "That sounds about right," I confirmed, not in the mood to act civil.

Uraraka's face screwed up. "You shouldn't make threats like that," she said. "It's wrong. And Shouto doesn't deserve that. Why do you hate all of us anyways? What did we do to you?" she asked.

I rolled my eyes, giving the girl my back so I could watch the upcoming match. "Deserve it? He embarrassed my friend on international television," I pointed out bitterly. "He absolutely 'deserves it'."

"You can't - heroes don't threaten to torture people!" Uraraka snapped, sounding very, very upset.

I crossed my arms, refusing to look at her. "Good thing I'm not planning to appear in any rankings," I quipped back dryly. "And I don't 'hate all of you'. You just annoy me." Uraraka let out a sound of consternation, but I just ignored her from then on. There was nothing left to say, after all.

In the end, Midoriya won the match. Bakugo had put up a good fight, but once he made the mistake of putting too much space between Midoriya and himself, the green-haired boy had flicked the blonde straight out of the air, sending Bakugo careening into the arena wall. As Recovery Girl attended to the blonde, I stood up and stretched my arms.

"Looks like I'm up," I said, high-fiving Ashido as I walked out of the observation box. This was my chance to set some things straight, after all. Todoroki was free to throw as much fire and ice at me as he wanted, I was going to get him in a chokehold if it was the last thing I did.

* * *

 _IX_

 **When I stood facing down my "soulmate"** from across the arena, I found myself biting back a thrill of anticipation. I told myself that the butterflies in my stomach were just a by-product of the millions of people watching, and that the rapid beating of my heart was from bloodlust. Todoroki was waiting in his side of the box, hands in his pockets and expression lackadaisical, like he didn't expect much from this match or me.

I grit my teeth, clenched my fists, and waited for Present Mic to announce the start of the match. As I tensed, Todoroki only seemed to relax.

"GO!" Present Mic shouted out of nowhere, and I was off instantly, shooting towards Todoroki like a bullet. The teen's eyes widened in surprise at my sudden burst of speed, right before a wave of ice licked my ankles. I jumped into the air, expecting that, and continued to slide forwards across the ice. My quirk was already active, rapidly raising my body temperature to repel Todoroki's ice.

I already knew Todoroki's general strategy. He would use his ice against far away targets. Once someone got within about five feet, he would suddenly switch over to his fire quirk, repelling them away just enough so he could switch back to using ice. It was my guess that Todoroki didn't have as good a handle on his fire as he did his ice, which was why he preferred it. That meant I could hurt him easily. I was going to get close to him, and then leave him with two choices. Either set me on fire, or let me attack him. He'd either look like a ruthless villain, or a weakling.

Smirking when Todoroki sent another burst of ice my way, I allowed the frozen water to climb up my ankles, seconds before my temperature rocketed up even further. I wasn't even sweating anymore, there was steam tickling my skin, and by god did I love the adrenaline rush. I was sure I looked like an animal, ripping through the ice with my teeth bared and vapor crawling from my skin, but I was more focused on Todoroki's expression, eyes growing wider and wider as I got closer and closer.

When I finally crossed the halfway point, I was gasping for air and still laying on the speed, feet scrambling to carry me forwards. My eyes were locked on Todoroki's face, as the last ten feet between him and I rapidly closed. Eight feet… six feet… when his arms drew back, feet taking a more firm stance, I channeled the last of my strength and lunged downwards. A shot of flame rippled over my back, heat scraping my skin as I rolled forwards. A moment later and I was popping up, knuckles aimed at Todoroki's throat again. It was just like the Battle Trials.

This time, Todoroki slipped to the side of my punch, aiming a blow for my side. I slid my leg back, and when his arm recoiled, my leg followed, sending a powerful kick for his ribs. He blocked the attack successfully, but I wasn't done. The moment my toes touched back down, I aimed to kick him again, but this time my target was his head. I saw Todoroki's eyes widen moments before I performed a practical split and my foot clocked him in the face.

Todoroki took a step backwards, head snapping sideways, and with a snarl I planted my foot and tried to punch him again. I got one good punch in at his sternum, before Todoroki regained his bearings. I caught a glimpse of the blood pouring from his broken nose and already bruising eye before, teeth bared in anger, he dropped down to the ground and slammed his hand against the concrete.

I didn't have a chance to react before I was swallowed by a mountain of ice. Completely immobilized inside a gigantic glacier, my quirk chose that moment to give out. The rapid temperature change from boiling hot to sub-zero was too much for my body to handle. My vision faded, and I was left with a last sensation of pure, frustrated fury before I went under.

* * *

 _X_

 **I woke up in the infirmary** , with Sero and Ashido sitting beside my bed. I barely noted their worried faces, more occupied with my own pain. With a low groan and a splitting headache, I lifted my arm up to cover my eyes.

"Someone turn off the lights," I ordered gruffly, voice raspy and weak.

"Kuro-chan!" Ashido shouted, and then I felt an iron-tight grip around my wrist. Something warm pressed itself against my stomach, and I assumed it was Ashido's face. I let a high-pitched, pained whine slip out from between my lips unwillingly.

Then the emptiness behind my eyelids darkened, and I knew Sero had switched off the lights. A moment later a hand settled on my shoulder. "I'm glad you're up," Sero said. "Recovery Girl was starting to get concerned, you've been out for three hours now."

I huffed unhappily, remembering exactly what had led up to my state. "Todoroki?" I asked faintly. If he had gotten away unscathed, I was going to be pissed.

"Ah, Recovery Girl noted a dislocated jaw, broken nose, bruised orbitals, hairline fracture on the radius, and major bruising on the arms and torso," Sero recited, sounding like he was cringing. I flickered my eyes open just enough to confirm that he was, indeed, wincing. "He wasn't able to compete in the finals. Uh, he actually went up to get the silver medal wearing a cast."

Ashido's voice was muffled as she added, "Recovery Girl said he was too injured for her to heal everything and not knock him out."

My lips quirked upwards. "How's that for weak…" I mumbled. Todoroki wasn't in the room to hear me, but I still felt triumphant.

Sero sighed. "Kurosaki… I get that you got upset in my stead, and I'm thankful you care that much," he began, and I tensed, hearing the "but" already coming. "But I didn't want to see anyone hospitalized. You… you really beat him up. You injured yourself too," Sero inhaled, and I peered at him through barely open eyes. "Please, promise me you won't do that again. We're going to become heroes, I don't want anyone hurt along the way."

I felt a small twinge of guilt at that comment. Almost. Todoroki had definitely deserved what he'd gotten, but maybe I had gone _a bit_ overboard. "Sure," I muttered, the word feeling sour and difficult to get out.

I caught a final glimpse of Sero nodding before my eyes slid shut. I heard the door close somewhere far off, and exhaled deeply. Now on my own, I started to relax. Just as my muscles untensed, the door slid open again, and I was rigid as a board.

"Ichigo," Mister Aizawa's voice said bluntly, and I winced. He sounded upset, in his own special, apathetic way.

I gulped nervously, eyes still shut. "... Mister Aizawa?" I said finally, unable to keep the fearful note out of my tone.

"Endangerment of a comrade, allowing emotions to interfere with logical reasoning, and reckless behavior on a field of combat," he listed, taking the time to pause between each item. "Tell me, what rule didn't you violate?"

I paused, considering my options. I was damned if I didn't respond, and damned if I did. "Rule #6: No friendly fire?" I answered his rhetorical question, knowing my smartassery wouldn't be appreciated but unable to stay silent.

"That isn't a rule," Mister Aizawa said cuttingly, and I deflated.

"I'm sorry, Mister Aizawa," I apologized, already sounding defeated. "It's just… Todoroki… he hurt Sero and I…"

"Acted irrationally out of a misplaced grudge," Mister Aizawa finished unforgivingly. "If anyone was to blame, it'd be the referees who allowed the match up, or Endeavor, who trained his son to act laidback while fighting because it instills a sense of confidence in those you're protecting." My shoulders slumped, hearing the truth in his words. I'd been a fool, and Mister Aizawa was going to point out every reason why. "I've already spoken to Endeavor about the incident, and he agrees that Todoroki acted out of line as well."

I jolted in shock at the added statement, eyes snapping open. "He did?" I repeated, stunned.

"He tried to douse you in flames, Ichigo," Mister Aizawa reminded me dryly, and my eyes widened at the memory. "That was an excessive use of force." He was right, of course. I'd been so focused on trying to time _when_ Todoroki would use his fire that I had forgotten that tidbit.

I let out a sigh, closing my eyes as my head started to throb again. "So what's the punishment?" I asked, fully expecting to run hundreds of laps around the academy for the next several weeks.

"You'll be spending your apprenticeship together," Mister Aizawa answered, and as much as I wanted to scream in anger and surprise, I couldn't because my headache was rapidly worsening. "Endeavor and I agreed that working together for a long period would be a fitting repercussion for your actions today. You'll be spending the next week with Todoroki under his father's command," Mister Aizawa continued.

I grimaced, unable to voice my protests. As it was, all I could was tighten my grip on the sheets and bite my tongue as my head pulsed. I didn't like this punishment at all, but what more could I say? That Mister Aizawa just wanted to go on vacation with Present Mic and was pawning me off?

The sound of a chair scraping the floor cut through my pain-filled daze. "I'll leave you here, try and get some sleep," Mister Aizawa said quietly, and I felt him drag the thin hospital sheets up to my chin. A few moments later the infirmary door slid open and shut again, this time leaving me alone for real.

* * *

 _XI_

 **Izuku could honestly say that life was great**. He had no clue where his good fortune had come from. Izuku had a wonderful soulmate, a powerful quirk, a circle of friends, and his mentor was _All Might_! He had never been lucky before, but now Izuku could understand why Kacchan walked around like he ruled the world all the time. Being lucky felt incredible, like fate was on your side.

"Uh, Izuku?" Ochako's concerned voice cut in, and Izuku looked up from his desk curiously. "Why are you smiling at your desk?" she asked, eyes wide.

Izuku blushed, realizing how odd he must've appeared. "Sorry, Ochako. I was just thinking," he excused, before leaning over to peek at the paperwork on his soulmate's desk. "So, where are you apprenticing?" Izuku question, redirecting the conversation.

Ochako lifted her paper up so Izuku couldn't read it. "I don't know yet," she said, smiling mischievously. "I'll get back to you once I decide."

"Not even a hint?" Izuku wheedled, and then grinned when Ochako burst into laughter.

"Okay, okay," she agreed, once her giggle started to die down. "I'm trying to decide between Gunhead and Uwabami. Both gave me offers, but…" Ochako paused and bit her lip. "I don't know, I don't really know either of them well, so it's hard to choose."

Izuku nodded understanding, already prepared to help. "Gunhead has a focus on combatives. He's actually highly successful, but he's not as popular because his agency does a poor job with marketing. Uwabami has a focus on publicity, but her activity in the community is lacking," he rattled off. Being a hero-nerd came in handy pretty often, as a Yuuei student. "It really depends on whether you want to focus on the skill side or business side of heroism for your apprenticeship, Ochako."

Ochako's eyes widened, and then she nodded. Her lips quirked up into a teasing smile. "I guess it's nice that I've got a hero-expert for a soulmate, hm?" she said, and Izuku smiled and flushed happily. Ochako picked up her pen and circled Gunhead's name. "I think I'll focus on practical skills for now, that's my weak point. I can learn more about the business side later."

Izuku bobbed his head. "That makes sense," he said, folding up his own paperwork. "Then I'll go turn this in, want me to take yours to the teachers' offices as well?" he offered politely.

Ochako handed over her paperwork immediately. "Please," she responded, and when Izuku took the papers, she smiled at him. "Thank you," Ochako added with a twinkle in her eyes, and as Izuku walked out of the classroom he found that he couldn't stop smiling. Something about making Ochako happy made him ecstatic as well.

Izuku walked down the school hallway floating on cloud nine, the best combination of bubbly and elated. This happy daze ended the second he saw Yaoyorozu standing in the middle of the hall, wringing her hands and staring at the wall in clearly worried silence.

Izuku stopped next to her, looking up at his friend's wrinkled brow and pursed lips. "Yaoyorozu? What's wrong?" he asked, unable to leave someone so obviously in trouble alone.

Yaoyorozu jumped, startled, and glanced down at Midoriya. Her eyes widened, and then she looked at Midoriya intently. "Can you promise me that you will not share this information?" she asked seriously. "I do not want to risk the futures of those involved."

"Uh, sure," Izuku agreed automatically, eyes wide. He felt a little hesitant, being so unsure of what he'd just gotten himself involved in.

Then Yaoyorozu smiled at him tearfully, and whatever reluctance he felt vanished. "Thank you," she said, voice practically dripping in gratitude and relief. "It's about Tenya…"

* * *

 _XII_

 **The day my apprenticeship started** , I was standing in the train station stiffly, backpack slung over my shoulder and an extra briefcase in my hand containing my costume. Sero and Ashido had already left on their respective ways to their own apprenticeships, and I was stuck waiting for the afternoon train towards Endeavor's headquarters with Todoroki and a few other laggers.

Those "other few" were Midoriya and Kirishima. The three boys were conversing only a few feet away, while I fixed my gaze firmly to the tracks. After almost ten minutes of me burning holes into the incoming trains in stony silence, one of them had the bright idea of talking to me.

"Uh, hey, Kurosaki!" Kirishima said, stepping into my line of view. I fixed my eyes on him blandly, and he visibly swallowed. "Uh, you excited for your apprenticeship?" he questioned, clearly struggling to start an actual dialogue.

If Todoroki hadn't been standing a few feet away, I might have considered actually responding. As it was, I just silently shook my head.

Kirishima nodded along, obviously confused and put-off by my refusal to talk. And yet he tried again. "You aren't excited? Who're you apprenticing with?" he asked. In answer, I jerked my thumb towards Todoroki, lips turning down at the corners.

This time, Todoroki responded instead. "My father and her mentor reached an _agreement_ ," he explained, biting out the last word with clear animosity. It was more passion than he usually showed when talking, and I glanced at him curiously. Todoroki's eyes were burning with unconcealed anger, and I resisted the urge to smirk.

It seemed he disliked me as much as I did him. How was that for a "perfect match"?

Kirishima coughed awkwardly as Todoroki set his furious gaze on me, and I smirked smugly back. "... Right. That really sucks, man," he said sympathetically, thumping Todoroki on the back. "Well, my train is going to arrive in a minute or so, so I'm just gonna go. Bye!" Kirishima finished, ducking out and escaping the awkward situation.

"My train is here too, bye Todoroki!" Midoriya rushed out, offering Todoroki a tense smile before vanishing as well.

Todoroki and I stood in complete silence, now that his friends were gone. He narrowed his eyes on me further, and my smirk only grew more satisfied. "You're still playing the quiet game," he observed, and I crossed my arms triumphantly, because yes, yes I was. "My father won't appreciate it," Todoroki added, and when my expression soured, it was his turn to smile smugly.

I huffed, turning my back on him to check the train schedule again. Our train was scheduled to arrive any moment as well. When I spotted our train on the display, its arrival delayed by fifteen minutes, I let out a loud groan. I got a few odd looks for my dramatics, but I honestly couldn't bring myself to care.

What fresh hell was this?

* * *

 _XIII_

 **Endeavor was firm, but confident**. His rules were straightforward and he had certain expectations set up. He reminded me of Mister Aizawa, in all honesty. Plus, despite Todoroki's threats, I didn't have to speak to Endeavor in the slightest. Simple nods and headshakes were more than enough for the number two hero, who didn't need all that much input for a high-school student anyways. I might've liked Endeavor actually, if it wasn't for his responsibility in creating the bane of my existence.

"Are you both prepared?" Endeavor rumbled, facing down Todoroki and I in his grand, western-style office. Both Todoroki and I had been asked to report to him earlier this morning in our costumes ASAP.

"Yes sir," Todoroki responded formally, while I nodded in confirmation. As a general rule, Todoroki was the one to talk, while I shadowed after him. It was only our second day into the apprenticeship, and I'd already developed a behavior pattern that suited my needs.

Endeavor stood up from his desk, flames swirling around him decoratively. "Then we'll be starting today by having both of you run through an obstacle course my sidekicks use," he declared, opening the office door and holding it open. "It requires a minimum of two people, so you will have to work together."

I wrinkled my nose unhappily as Todoroki clenched his jaw with a distinct click. "Understood, Dad," he answered, leading the way out of the office. I trailed after him, very discontent with this ridiculous situation. A teamwork obstacle course? With Todoroki? Was Endeavor trying to get us both killed?

Endeavor shut the door behind us, marching ahead and guiding us through the various, elegant hallways of his headquarters. Observing the lacquered floors and and chandeliers, I wondered how much money this man made to waste it on decorating _hallways_. More than I'd ever seen or would see in a lifetime, for sure.

Finally, Endeavor halted in front of a door made of heavy metal. He punched a few numbers into the lock, and the door slid open with the passcode. Todoroki stepped through first, and I followed after him, knowing Endeavor was only a few steps behind. When I got a full view of the training field, I paused and gulped, daunted. Mister Aizawa's obstacle courses were all about acrobatics. Endeavor's training field looked like actual city streets, with multiple familiar robots from Yuuei scattered between the buildings. I could see a small platform off to the side, and suddenly realized what was happening.

Todoroki and I would be freerunning _while_ combating enemies. No wonder this required a minimum of two people. When one of them _died,_ someone was needed to call the ambulance.

Endeavor continued walking ahead, approaching the dreaded platform. "This will be your first test," he began. "If you can manage to finish the course by this evening, you will be allowed to sleep in tomorrow," he explained.

I glanced to Todoroki, very much intimidated by this new challenge. Todoroki didn't look perturbed in the slightest, seeming almost comfortably familiar with this test. And of course he was, Todoroki was Endeavor's son. Which meant I was going to make a fool out of myself in a set of obstacles Todoroki had faced a thousand times. I frowned, extremely unhappy with my newfound problem.

When neither Todoroki or I stepped forward, Endeavor glanced back expectantly. "Well? Are you starting any time today?" he demanded.

* * *

 _XIV_

 **Shouto, reluctantly, found himself starting to tolerate Kurosaki**. It was a very slow, very painful process, but as he spent more and more time working with the girl as part of his father's agency, he began to learn more about her. For example, despite refusing to talk, Kurosaki still managed to communicate effectively, even during combat. Shouto hadn't ever been very good at charades, but somehow Kurosaki could make him understand her odd hand-gestures and eye rolls with ease. And Shouto had never realized how long Kurosaki's hair was, until he'd had to watch her spend over fifteen minutes carefully brushing and redoing her braids after each training session.

"Why don't you just cut your hair?" He asked one day, unable to withhold his curiosity. Kurosaki had always struck him as ruthlessly practical, and her long braids were an unnecessary burden. "It'd be easier to take care of."

Kurosaki paused in her brushing, looking slightly startled that Shouto had even spoken. Then, she shrugged, and continued brushing. It was the first time, however, that Shouto had seen her smile at anything other than her friends. The message came across fairly clearly: _I just like it this way_.

There were plenty of other little things as well. Like when they were sparring under Endeavor's supervision, Shouto would sometimes catch Kurosaki's eyes shining in the middle of a fight. It was usually seconds before she flipped him over her shoulder or nailed him with a particularly hard attack, but regardless, Shouto couldn't help but notice her love for fighting that he - unwillingly - found contagious. Or the way that she would sometimes pause while they were walking around headquarters and stare at certain people intently, usually right before they did something stupid, and then burst into giggles. Shouto didn't know how she always managed to spot people about to embarrass themselves, but her dark sense of humor was amusing, if only because Kurosaki didn't _look_ so sadistic.

So yes, Shouto found himself beginning to tolerate Kurosaki. He'd even, he'd dare say, claim to enjoy her presence, if it weren't for the moments that she would sometimes glare at him like his very existence offended her. It was slightly disturbing, to see how quickly she could flip from acting perfectly pleasant to downright irritable, and usually all it took was one misstep on Shouto's part. And he didn't even know what he was doing to upset her! The fact that they were forced to spent hours a day together didn't help matters.

"You've both done well over the past four days," Endeavor declared, towering over a panting Shouto and red-faced, sweating Kurosaki. They had just managed to clear the obstacle course from Day 1 in under five minutes, beating their previous record of six minutes and thirty-two seconds. "I'm pleased with your progress," Endeavor continued crossing his arms. "Your ability to work together has improved sufficiently, so we'll be traveling to Hosu for tomorrow. You both will be following me during my patrols."

Shouto smiled despite his exhaustion. He knew for a fact that Midoriya, Yaoyorozu, and Iida were in Hosu right now from his text exchanges with them. It'd be nice to see them again, especially after spending four days with only eerily-quiet Kurosaki for company.

"Well done, Shouto," Endeavor finished, offering a final compliment to his son. His voice was warm, and Shouto knew that his father was proud of him.

"Thanks Dad," Shouto said gratefully, before turning towards the locker rooms for a shower. He needed to pack up his belongings, after all.

* * *

 _XV_

 **Izuku had known this was coming** , but facing down the Hero Killer still felt surreal. There he was, standing in a dark, unfamiliar alleyway late at night, with a deadly villain that had Iida nailed to the brickwall by a sword impaled through his shoulder. Izuku's hands were shaking, but he managed to take a fighting stance, knowing that Yaoyorozu was beside him and needed him to be confident as well.

Iida was staring at Yaoyorozu in horror. "Momo! What are you doing here?!" he demanded, voice strangled with pain. Iida's expression was terrified, knowing that his soulmate was now in danger of being killed as well.

"I'm here to save you, Tenya," Yaoyorozu declared proudly, using her quirk to create a sword and shield quickly. She took her stance next to Izuku, who tried to ignore how tense her shoulders were. They were both terrified, it seemed.

The Hero Killer tilted his head, looking at them curiously. Izuku shivered at the insane light in his eyes. "I see," the murderer said casually, like he wasn't a few inches away from killing someone. "Your soulmate has come to save you," he observed clinically, allowing Iida to drop to the ground. Iida let out a pained grunt as the landing jostled the blade embedded in his shoulder.

A moment later the area was filled with the sound of clashing metal. Izuku spun to see Yaoyorozu holding up her now heavily-damaged shield, the Hero Killer standing a few inches away with a new set of blades drawn.

Yaoyorozu clenched her jaw. "Midoriya, remove Tenya and the other hero from here," she ordered. "I will do my best to hold the Hero Killer back."

Izuku nodded, unable to summon up the courage to speak. When the Hero Killer disappeared into a blur of movement again, so did he, using his newly-learned Full Cowl to snatch up the Pro Hero bleeding out on the concrete. Bouncing back to the alley's exit, Izuku propped the hero up against a wall gently. The screech of metal echoed behind him, and with only a small bit of hope in his heart, Izuku whipped out his phone and sent out his location.

* * *

 _XVI_

 **There was a bank-robbery going on less than a block away** , and Todoroki and I were rushing after Endeavor through the streets of Hosu. Only one day into our stay at Hosu, and there was already an incident for us to participate in.

Suddenly, Todoroki stopped running, holding out his phone with a mix of shock and fear. I froze as well, halting my trailing after Endeavor to peer over Todoroki's arm at his phone screen. All I saw was Midoriya's location, sent in a group chat with no context. I glanced up at Todoroki skeptically, wondering what the hell he was on about. Todoroki wasn't paying attention to me, however, instead looking to his father with wide eyes. "Dad, I have to go! I'll forward you the location, send heroes there!" he shouted, before spinning around and booking it down the street.

I watched him go, eyes wide and incredulous. Our first actual patrol, and he does this? What was happening? Had Midoriya sent out some secret distress call I couldn't understand? Endeavor looked just as confused.

I bit my lip, and then looked up at the Pro Hero. "Sir, I'm requesting permission to follow him," I said formally, speaking to the number two hero for the first time in the past five days. "If there is actual danger, I'm uniquely suited to controlling injuries until the real heroes arrive."

Endeavor glanced down at me, looking a mixture of surprised and concerned for his son. "Go," he grumbled. "I'll deal with the robbers." I nodded in confirmation, and then spun around to take off after Todoroki.

As I was running, my mind was running overtime, wondering what the situation was. Clearly Todoroki suspected Midoriya was endangered, but why? He knew Midoriya better than I did for sure, but Todoroki hadn't even momentarily considered that the location had been shared as an accident. Was there some sort of prior knowledge I wasn't privy to? I was frustrated by my lack of intel, because heroes shouldn't ever go into situations blind. As Todoroki led me through a network of alleys, I struggled to keep up while remaining alert for any strange noises or movements.

I turned a corner into another alleyway, and as I did so my eyes widened in shock. The Hero Killer was standing over Iida's body, licking his lips, while Todoroki defended a fallen Midoriya and Yaoyorozu with a wall of flame. The Hero Killer's sword shined as he raised it up, prepared to plunge the blade into Iida's back. My brain was scrambling to put the details together into a coherent picture, and then I was moving.

Before I'd even managed to fully think, I was rushing forwards, and suddenly a sword was stabbing through my back and I could see bloody metal protruding through my stomach. Iida's rounded, horrified eyes were looking up at me, but I was busy smashing my shoulder into the Hero Killer's side, sending him tumbling backwards.

I straightened up painfully. I could feel my quirk wanting to activate, but if I wanted the injury to heal properly, I needed the blade removed first. Luckily, Todoroki was already behind me, planting his forearm against my back and ripping the sword out.

"What were you thinking?!" he demanded, dropping the sword to the ground and taking his place beside me, using a burst of fire to push the Hero Killer farther back away from Iida. "You could've died!" he said, practically scolding me.

I don't know if it was the pain, the adrenaline, or the fear that caused me to answer him. "There's been worse ways to die," I told him with resolve, and before I could see Todoroki's eyes widen or watch him stumble, I was lunging forward, chasing after the Hero Killer with steam roiling around me, the hole through my gut already numbed and closing.

The Hero Killer was practically salivating, and in a few seconds he was holding another blade and aiming for my skull. "Pretty words, but can you back them up?" he asked, and I twisted around, relying on pure instinct built from over a year of training on dodging as I barely managed to avoid his attack. The killer jumped back, and I pressed forward, landing in front of him. The Hero Killer instantly moved to stab me again, this time in the neck, and I managed to block his blow with shaking arms, allowing the momentum to spin us both around, so his back was facing Todoroki.

"Do it!" I screamed, entire body trembling with the effort to resist the murderer's strength. The Hero Killer snarled, and the sharp metal tore through the fabric of my shoulder, leaving a wavering, bloody line slowly carving itself towards my neck.

Suddenly the Hero Killer was up to his neck in ice. My body was still shaking from the adrenaline as I fell backwards, stunned. Feeling sweaty and disgusting, I deactivated my quirk, remembering Mister Aizawa's lecture about not pushing my limits. Instantly I felt a wave of dizziness and nausea, and I rolled over to vomit on the concrete.

Even as I gagged, I felt hands grasp my shoulders, ripping me up and spinning me around. Todoroki was clutching me tight enough to hurt, eyes narrowed. He looked the worst combination of hurt and angry. "Those were my words! Why didn't you-!" he paused, sound dying on his lips. I weakly noted that the Hero Killer's attack had torn my shirt, revealing my collarbone and the kanji lining it. "... You knew," Todoroki said flatly. It wasn't a question, but I answered anyways.

"I don't want… a soulmate," I slurred out, before my head lolled back and the last of my adrenaline rush died. I didn't really fall unconscious, my body just sort of gave out. Everything else was a blur of sound and movement from then on, but I felt someone pick me up and lay me down next to a pile of shining metal that I briefly theorized to be Iida's armor. I could hear several voices talking nearby, a girl and two boys. It was hard for me to think, like my mind was jelly.

Dimly, I wondered where I'd go from here, because the jig was officially up.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

* * *

This was my _first time_ doing a one-shot, so please tell me what you think! I know a lot of the characters changed, what with Ichigo being (a bit) of a bitch, Shouto being not-abused, and Izuku being confident from having friends growing up, but I couldn't imagine a society so led by fate not being more peaceful. If the soulmate dynamic seems kind of dark in this AU, please remember that Ichigo is a _heavily_ biased narrator. She thinks the worst of soulmates, and therefor sees the worst of them. They actually do a lot of good (as seen by Shouto's childhood). If you guys really like this, I'll do a part two that'll finish it and wrap up the loose end (I know I left a bunch, I'm sorry, I can't make this longer). I wanted to add more but this was getting kind of long. It probably wasn't as romantic as you guys were hoping, and that had been my original game-plan, but about half-way through I realized I'd made Ichigo an antagonist and everything went downhill from there XD.

Extra notes: for those who don't know, _philophobia_ is the fear of falling in love, which is how I picked the title. Additionally, it's referenced in the beginning, but in this AU Koharu and Ichigo's grandmother were soulmates. I'll explain more if I do an extension of this, but Ichigo's generation is one of the first to really accept the existence of same-sex soulmate pairings. For Koharu and Mitsuki, homosexual relationships were frowned upon, so they married people other than their soulmates. The reason that Koharu didn't help Ichigo in this AU was because she didn't want her soulmate taken away - hence Ichigo's hatred of soulmate bonds. She blames the soulmate phenomenon for her poor childhood. Other extra things would be that Shouto _doesn't_ have a scar in this AU, and Ichigo _doesn't_ have her scarf (yet). I also didn't forget about the USJ incident. It doesn't occur for a very specific reason, which has to do with Tomura. I wanted to add that in here, but this was getting really long and I couldn't fit it in.

Extra-Extra note: I originally wrote this on Quotev after an extensive poll with different AU ideas. People seemed to ship Shouchigo a lot on this site too, so I decided to repost it here. Additionally, Ichigo was more confident in this AU because since she was tiny, she's taken the words "I'm stronger than you" as her personal challenge. Basically, she's been preparing to punch her soulmate in the face from the moment she learned how to read. And below are all the different soulmate pairings in this story, they were selected from the poll (THEY DO NOT SPEAK FOR THE CANNON STS ENDGAME PAIRINGS):

1) Shouta Aizawa & Hizashi Yamada (Present Mic)  
2) Katsuki Bakugo & Eijirou Kirishima  
3) Izuku Midoriya & Ochako Uraraka  
4) Shouto Todoroki & Ichigo Kurosaki  
5) Tenya Iida & Momo Yaoyorozu  
6) Denki Kaminari & Kyoka Jirou  
7) Mashirao Ojiro & Tooru Hagakure  
8) Fumikage Tokoyami & Tsuyu Asui

 **Prince** : I have done as you requested XD


	40. Episode 39: The Worst Plan Ever!

"I'm fighting Mister Aizawa," I muttered, standing in front of the closed entrance gate waiting. "I'm supposed to beat Mister Aizawa. Why? Why this? Why now? Why me?" I reached up to pull on my bangs anxiously, since my braids were safely tucked (and now pinned, after an embarrassing training accident that I try to forget) down my collar.

Beside me, Shouto glanced down while I tried to rip my hair out. "Do you have a plan?" he asked, for some reason deferring power to me while I nervously muttered.

My head snapped up. "No!" I yelled in frustration. "If Bakago isn't willing to listen, I _don't_ have a plan!" My hands flew up into the air angrily. I was facing a test where the goal was teamwork, and got stuck with a teammate whose main objective was to beat _literally everyone else_ into submission. No mercy.

"We can pass without him," Shouto pointed out matter-of-factly, with all of the confidence of a person who hadn't been drop kicked by Eraserhead before.

"No, we can't," I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "Mister Aizawa won't let us pass unless we work together." If the goal of this test was teamwork, then there was no way Mister Aizawa would allow us to reach the gate until we fulfilled the objective. He was a Pro Hero, we wouldn't pass without being allowed to.

A loud huff made me spin around, and there stood Bakugo with his chin raised challengingly. "I don't need anyone to let me pass," he declared arrogantly. "I'll find him and beat him." He stared Shouto and I down, daring us to contradict him.

"We need to reach the exit gate," Shouto countered icely, immediately rising to the bait. "Mister Aizawa is stronger than us."

Bakugo met Shouto's eyes angrily. "Are you calling me fucking weak?" he growled.

"That's not the point right now," I interjected, stepping between the two boys and trying to mediate the argument. "We need to work together and create a strategy to pass, the objective of this exam is teamwork."

Bakugo narrowed his eyes at me. "I thought I said I don't need your help, _Ichimi_ ," he sneered, and I winced at the insult. Clearly, Bakugo was pissed about something and was now taking it out on everyone else.

Before I could say anything, Shouto stepped forward, trying to get between Bakugo and I. "Ichigo is correct," he asserted. "Working together to reach the gate is our best chance." My eyes widened, realizing that Shouto had just accidentally done what I'd been trying to avoid - alienated Bakugo entirely.

The blonde responded as expected. "I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!" he roared, whirling around and stalking towards the gates, which I had only just realized were opening.

I panicked, desperately darting after the blonde. "Wait! You can't-!" Bakugo tossed a glare over his shoulder, furious and hateful. I faltered, and he continued marching forwards, leaving me behind in silent astoundment. I thought that Bakugo and I had begun a tentative friendship, at least, but it was like we'd taken two steps forward and then jumped right back to the start of the school year.

Shouto walked up beside me, expression flat. "We need to reach the gate," he said firmly. "Just let Bakugo be a distraction."

I bit my lip. "Sacrificing him to pass won't look good," I said, struggling with the idea that Bakugo really wasn't going to work with us.

"We don't have a choice," Shouto said coldly, and I paused, before forcing myself to nod. I didn't want to think that there wasn't a choice, but childishly insisting on working together wouldn't be a good idea.

I shook my head, focusing on the problem at hand. "Let's go then," I declared, taking off down the main street. Our training grounds was a suburban neighborhood, complete with white picket fences and neatly trimmed lawns. It looked a lot like the place where I grew up. Quickly running through the various homes, I glanced back for a second to see Shouto on my heels, easily keeping up with my brisk pace. "We need to stick together," I said. "We'll just cover ground as fast as we can, and if one of us gets caught then-"

An enormous explosion went off a block away, and I saw smoke rise into the air. I let out a shallow gasp. "He's already been found," I realized numbly. "There goes that distraction."

Shouto narrowed his eyes. "We need to go now," he said, turning and booking it down the street. Still stunned by the gigantic bomb, it took me a few seconds to realize that he was leaving me behind.

I pivoted on my heel, chasing after him. Shouto, with his longer legs and general athleticism, was already far down the street, using his ice to skate down the street and vanish into the distance. I grit my teeth, pumping my arms and doing everything I could to catch up. I couldn't afford to waste energy though, and slowly Shouto pulled ahead of me, fleeing towards the gate in the distance.

I hoped stupidly that Mister Aizawa would target me first, and give Shouto enough time to escape. My mind started scrambling for possibilities, ways to put this situation in our favor. My team had split up within the first few seconds of the test, and in under three minutes already had one of its members eliminated, along with separating the other two. We were facing a superior opponent on an unknown battlefield as individuals with a time limit. This was every tactician's worst nightmare.

I slipped and fell. Catching myself on my forearms and ignoring how my palms stung, I scrambled unsteadily to my feet. I exhaled, chills running down my spine from combined fear and cold. The entire block was covered in sharp, icy spikes. The path of frozen water lead down one of the side roads into the distance, and I realized that Shouto had more than likely already been captured.

I clenched my jaw in frustration, resisting the urge to chase after him. I had a time limit, if I didn't reach the gate, we all failed. The best thing I could do for my team was reach the gate and pass.

I focused on the upcoming gate, feet slapping the asphalt as I ran down block after block, making a straight shot towards the gate. Suddenly, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and only from intensive reaction-time training was I able to whirl out of the way as Mister Aizawa came lunging from a nearby rooftop.

My feet danced in a circle, skipping over the leg trying to sweep my feet out from under me and taking back off towards the gate. I could hear Mister Aizawa on my heels, and I felt fear rise up in my chest, pushing my unmeasured breathing out of my control. My heart beat an unsteady tattoo in my chest, as I glanced back over my shoulder to see if Mister Aizawa was still chasing me.

My eyes when I saw there wasn't anyone there. My gaze snapped forward, but it was already too late, and Mister Aizawa's fist planted itself in my cheek, sending my skidding backwards. I landed in a roll, popping back up to my feet in a fighting stance. Unfortunately, Mister Aizawa was faster than most of my classmates, and before I could gain my bearings, he was already on me.

The fight devolved into instinctive dodges and haphazard blows from there. I did my best to duck and weave out of the way of Mister Aizawa attacks, searching for openings as I fled. The few times I managed to find chinks in his armor, I lashed out, landing hits that barely even phased him.

It ended rather suddenly, when Mister Aizawa ducked under my too-slow right hook and used his arms to brace my side and flip me. My legs flew over my head, and despite my trying to orient myself, it only took a few sharp motions before I was pinned to the ground, chin digging into the asphalt painfully as my arms were twisted behind my back. I heard the familiar click of handcuffs closing as cold iron circled around my wrist.

"Team 7 fails," Principal Nedzu's voice announced, and his cheery voice didn't fit the situation at all. My face scrunched up, and I felt my lip tremble as I tried not to cry. My wonderful brain, which had been so _useless_ before, scrambled to offer me every bad result this test could have on my future. I could lose my scholarship. I could get expelled from Yuuei. My future career could be compromised. The agency wouldn't want to sponsor a failure. Mister Aizawa was definitely disappointed in me. All of my classmates had been watching as well.

I grit my teeth, choking down the tears in my eyes. I felt humiliated, frustrated, tired and upset. Pressing my forehead against the ground, I curled my knees under me, climbing to my feet. I hid my eyes from Mister Aizawa's gaze, trying to disguise the watery sheen with my bangs.

"C-can you pl-please undo these?" I asked softly, ever familiar stutter coming back. Mister Aizawa reaching behind me, silently undoing them. I felt my chest seize when he didn't bother to say "plus twenty". He was angry with me. Would he even want to teach me anymore? Was this it?

Did my dreams end here?

I heard the sound of running feet behind me, and I caught a glimpse of Shouto darting down the street towards Mister Aizawa and I. His expression was flat as usual, but I noticed the tenseness of his shoulders and unusual crease between his eyebrows. He was upset as well, and if I had cared to notice, I would've seen the way his jaw was clenched, his fists balled up in clear guilt.

As it was, I turned my back on him and fled the battle grounds, refusing to look back once. Both of my teammates had refused to listen to me, and I hadn't been strong enough to even run away on my own. I wanted to blame Shouto and Bakugo for not listening to me, and maybe that wasn't fair, but I'd had a plan that could've countered Mister Aizawa effectively. We could've succeeded, if they'd listened.

Instead, I was running away from the empty testing grounds and praying that my future hadn't just ended there.

* * *

"Oh no," Ochako breathed, staring at the screens in horror. Next to her, Tenya, Momo, and Izuku stared at the projected images of their friends in shock. Mister Aizawa had easily and viciously torn the poor excuse of a team apart, and he had done so with crushing force.

Momo's hands were covering her mouth. "Four minutes and twelve seconds," she whispered. "He beat them so easily." She knew intimately how Ichigo, Shouto, and likely Bakugo were feeling right now. This scene was far too similar to her own defeat during the Sports Festival.

"That was… very demoralizing," Tenya remarked, sounding depressed. He was keeping his composure, but there was a clear pain in his eyes after watching two of his friends fail so badly.

Izuku, however, had already reached the same conclusions as Ichigo. "Her scholarship could be at risk," he realized out loud, missing Ochako's wide eyed dismay. "Ichigo m-may have just lost her spot a Yuuei," Izuku continued, trying to remember anything he'd read about Yuuei scholarships. The program was pretty obscure, with admissions being almost ridiculously low.

"I'm going to find her!" Ochako declared in a panic, spinning around and vanishing out the observation deck doors, leaving Momo, Izuku, and Tenya to continue staring at the screens as Bakugo tried to attack Shouto in a fury.

Recovery Girl let out an unhappy sigh, watching Aizawa reel in the angry blonde. It wouldn't be the first time she'd seen immaturity get in the way of students' careers. She hoped that Kurosaki wouldn't be one of them, she liked that girl.

* * *

 **Mailbox/Explanation/Announcement**

* * *

Oh I'm sorry, you thought this was going end well? HA, NO! But seriously, I decided to use this arc to fix Ichigo's consistent win-streak and point out some of her weaknesses. There are multiple reasons why Team 7 failed (that wasn't a Naruto reference, I swear). First, Bakugo and Shouto hate each other, and they will work together on a cold day in hell (which considering their quirks, may be possible). Second, Aizawa was much rougher this time around. He allowed Momo and Shouto to catch him because he knew Momo needed a confidence boost. Ichigo, Shouto, and Bakugo don't need confidence, if anything they need a good dose of realism. After the Hero Killer attack, all of them got their priorities a little screwed up. Third, as Ichigo described, their teamwork was abysmal, and their _planning_ was even worse. They had no strategy going in, and they really needed to fail and get a slap upside the head. Fourth, Ichigo absolutely panicked. She's used to having teammates who support and willingly listen to her, and when they don't she's left floundering, a serious issue for someone who wants to be a strong leader. And finally, because Bakugo didn't cooperate, Ichigo didn't have a lot of time to plan. There are different types of genius seen in BNHA. There's Bakugo, who's a combat prodigy, and there's Midoriya, who's an analytical genius. Both are great quick thinkers. However, people like Momo and Ichigo fall into a more conventional type of genius. That doesn't mean they can't create brilliant strategies, its just that their genius is more suited towards books than fighting. So far, Ichigo has always been given time to plan, before getting shoved into situations. The few times she hasn't? She got stabbed in the back by "cat-woman", impaled by the Hero Killer, and now failed her exam. This highlights a huge issue for Ichigo, that she's been able to avoid until now. She needs to learn how to create plans on the go. If you disagree with my assessment, have any extra questions, or anything else, feel free to ask/challenge my decisions. I'm happy to reconsider anything I've done so far.

Beyond that hellishly long authors note, new rule! This story will henceforth be updated each Monday and Thursday (because I'm catching up with my own writing and don't have a bunch of chapters to sit on anymore). This will begin... this Thursday! So yeah, look forward to that. And now for the mailbox.

 **GlaresThatKill** : I already answered your comment in a previous chapter... I can't... But its fine, I made that reference intentionally XD

 **JusKIdding** : I'm glad the AU was good! I've never done a one-shot before, condensing a whole storyline is hard. Ichigo's perspective is pretty unique, I've been told. In the AU, she's very scared of _being_ rejected, so she rejects everyone else first, if that makes sense? And I'm already working on a part 2! It'll be a little while though.

 **Sumiianna** : Super happy you enjoyed it so much! I was worried about it being cliché, since soulmates are a really overdone concept. Part two is on its way![

 **AllisBlanche** : I'm glad your ship has sailed XD I actually designed a cover for this on the other website, since it allows me to attach images every chapter, and it was a drawing of two hands connected by the "red thread of fate." That's what I had in mind while writing this, glad you picked up on it!

 **castielris** : High praise! I hope your own AU goes well! And thank you, I put a lot of thought into how the soulmate concept would effect the characters. Ichigo's slow development and appreciation of Sero and Mina was a focus of the story, and I'm glad you noticed! Those two will continue to change Soulmate!Ichigo for the better. And Part 2 (which will be the final installation of this and finish things) is already being written!

 **Prince** : Yeah, Shouto isn't going to be very happy... his life so far has been dedicated to protecting his soulmate once he found them, but in this case once he did - well, suffice to say it didn't end well. His entire life's purpose just got _crushed_. The next part will be highly focused on Shouto, even more than Ichigo.

 **Katr5432** : I'm glad you appreciated the AU, and how it changed the world/characters. I couldn't imagine a universe with such a huge dynamic shift not being incredibly different. And don't worry, the original is still going on. This was just a special chapter, for fun.

 **TECHNICALpanda** : Super happy you enjoyed this, I put a lot of work into it! There will definitely be a continuation to finish this off!

 **OTrizy** : Based on how much support this AU got on both this site and Quotev, there will definitely be a continuation. And as for your previous comment: I don't mind, you weren't oversharing. I faced a lot of the same issues when I started writing, I've only recently become more organized (as in over the last year). The best thing I can recommend it that you do a lot of planning before you start writing, so you aren't stuck developing the concept as you go, and then have to rewrite things. Create a soundtrack to listen to while you write, it can help keep you inspired, and if you can manage, set aside time each day for writing. Fifteen to twenty minutes is usually enough. Also, I cannot stress this enough: WRITE DOWN YOUR IDEAS! You mentioned having a bunch of different concepts, that's great. Record them, and later down the line you can flip through your different ideas to develop them further, or combine them.

 **xenocanaan** : Glad you enjoyed the AU, there will definitely be a continuation down the road. And here is your next chapter of the actual storyline!

 **slyKat28** : Ichigo has a very dark sense of humor XD That applies to canon as well. She can find plenty of amusement in others suffering, so long as they're not seriously injured or embarrassed. The part 2 is on its way, and here's the next chapter of the actual storyline!


	41. Episode 40: A Shocking Conclusion!

I fled from the testing-grounds in a blur. I was choking down my tears and pumping my arms as I ran as fast I could. It wasn't much of a surprise when I found myself curled up against the wall on the bathroom floor in the same corner as before. A few small sobs escaped me, but for the most part I just tried to hold my breath and hid my face in my knees, feeling my back press against the cold tiles of the wall.

I didn't notice when Mister Aizawa entered the bathroom, until I felt someone's eyes on me. I peeked up to see my mentor's face, and hiccuped in surprise. Mister Aizawa looked grave and somber, and I ducked my head down again, unwilling to see the disappointment in his eyes.

"M-Mister Aizawa… I'm sorry…" I whispered thickly, refusing to lift my eyes. "I w-wasted y-your time." I swallowed, eyes watering as I considered how much time and effort I'd spent training, only to send it all down the drain with this one, stupid test.

"You wasted nothing," Mister Aizawa said gruffly, and I blinked in surprise, tears halting as I scrambled to understand. While I thought, Mister Aizawa crouched down to my level. "Ichigo, lift your head," he ordered. I sniffled, looking up just barely enough to meet Mister Aizawa's gaze, sure that my own eyes were red and puffy. "You aren't going to lose your scholarship, Ichigo. You aren't even going to fail the grade."

I stared at him in bewilderment, too confused to cry. "I'm n-not?" I asked, stunned.

"Ichigo, do remember how much the the exams weighed?" Mister Aizawa inquired patiently, voice level.

I frowned thoughtfully. "Thirty percent," I answered, reciting the information from memory and temporarily being distracted from my failure. "But each exam splits up between classes, so the english final is only worth thirty percent of the english grade, the math final is worth thirty only for math class, and so on…"

"And how do you think you did on the academic portion?" Mister Aizawa continued, guiding my thought process.

I bit my lip. "Over ninety percent accuracy," I estimated, deciding to be conservative.

"The lowest score you recieved was a ninety-four," Mister Aizawa said, and I couldn't find it in me to be surprised. "The practical exam only affects your Basic Hero Studies grade, which was previously a ninety-three. You received a sixty-five on your final, what does that make your score?" he questioned.

I did the math in my head, the bathroom absolutely silent as I calculated. "An eighty-four - actually, no, an eighty-five percent," I corrected, accounting for the decimal being rounded up.

"And what does that make your final GPA?" Mister Aizawa finished, having fully calmed me down from my panic (not that I realized until later what he'd done).

I only took a few moments to think it through. "A 3.8," I concluded, reaching up to wipe me eyes automatically.

Mister Aizawa nodded in agreement. "And do you really think that Yuuei is going to drop your scholarship when you have a 3.8 GPA?" he questioned rhetorically. I didn't get a chance to respond before he continued, "The agency might be concerned, but you've already proved your worth, Ichigo. The publicity from the Hero Killer incident means you aren't going to leave the program any time soon," he pointed out.

My eyes widened. "Oh," I said softly. "So… I'm not in trouble…?" I wondered, internally lambasting myself for not realizing this sooner. I'd allowed my emotions to interfere with my thinking, a mistake that Mister Aizawa had told me to avoid in my first week of training.

"You're still going to be punished," Mister Aizawa corrected, giving a familiar Cheshire-cat grin. "Just not by the agency or the school."

I deflated, realizing what that meant. "My training is going to be increased?" I guessed, which was a very big mistake. Never _ever_ guess a punishment, because then it just gets worse.

"No," Mister Aizawa said, sounding very amused. "What have we learned from this exercise?"

"That I'm a bad teammate?" I responded self-deprecatingly.

Mister Aizawa's smile didn't fall. "No, that you need to improve your leadership skills. You mentioned a student that wanted to train with us - Hitoshi Shinsou, correct?" I nodded slowly, wondering where he was going with this. "I'm placing you in charge of his training. You have until the end of the summer to prepare him, and when school starts I'm going to test his abilities."

My mouth fell open, eyes the size of dinner plates. "W-what?! You want me to train someone else?!" I shrieked in surprise, then slapped my hands over my mouth. Mister Aizawa hated people yelling in his face, or just in his general vicinity.

"Yeah," Mister Aizawa affirmed bluntly, standing up straight and offering me a hand. "Now that you've calmed down, are you ready to leave? Your friends are waiting for you," he said, and I winced guiltily. Ochako and Izuku were probably panicking as much as I was earlier, they were like that.

"I think so," I agreed, reaching out and grabbing his hand. Mister Aizawa yanked me to my feet, and I smiled softly up at him. "Thanks, Mister Aizawa," I said, wrapping my arms around his waist (because that was as high as I could reach) and hugging him tightly. Mister Aizawa tensed, obviously surprised by my sudden action, but I didn't let go immediately. Finally, he laid his hand on my head, not reciprocating the hug, but accepting my affection. I stepped back, grinned up at him, and then rushed out the bathroom doors, leaving him in the dust as I booked it for the testing facility's exit.

Rushing through halls, slamming through doors, and bounding over several staircases, it only took me a few minutes to find my friends, who were idling just outside the school. I grinned, spotting Izuku and Ochako spazzing out together, anxiously talking back and forth with wide, worried eyes.

"Hey guys!" I shouted, jumping over the last six steps of the descending stairs and landing right between Izuku and Ochako. "Thanks for waiting for me!"

Ochako gasped, and then lunged forward. I didn't even flinch when she pinned my arms against my sides in a tight hug. "Icchan! You had me so worried!" she declared, tucking her face into the top of my head.

"I'm glad you look better. Did you find out about your test?" Izuku asked nervously, looking slightly relieved by my not-in-tears state.

I wiggled in Ochako's grip just enough to peek my face out and see him. I smiled brightly. "Yep! I did well enough on the academic portions, so this won't hurt my GPA too much. Actually, I'm still going to pass the grade," I explained happily.

"That's good," Izuku sighed, shoulders slumping in relief.

Momo suddenly appeared in my field of view, eyes bright with excitement. "I'm very happy for you," she informed me, smiling joyfully. "It would be very disappointing if you weren't part of our class next year."

Ochako loosened her grip on me, straightening up. She held up her fist, one hand on my shoulder. "Right!" she agreed with Momo, before leaning in towards me with a severe expression. "If you ever scare me like that again you'll regret it," she said intensely.

I leaned away from her, eyes wide. "Sure thing," I agreed, taking a step back. I turned towards Tenya, hoping to distract Ochako away from me. "So, Tenya, think you're ready for the summer camp I won't be going to?" I questioned jokingly.

Tenya chopped his hand down, glasses shining. "I am prepared, and I am also sure that we can discuss your participation in the summer camp with the Yuuei Administration. As a scholarship student, you cannot afford to slacken your training schedule over the summer!" he declared enthusiastically, and I giggled at his zealousness.

"Ichigo?" A familiar voice cut in, and I froze. I didn't turn around immediately, knowing exactly who was there.

Ochako glanced at me. "Do you want to…?" she whispered, clearly ready to interfere if necessary.

I bit my lip. "No, it's fine. You guys go on ahead, I'll walk to the bus stop with you if you don't mind waiting a few minutes," I decided, clenching my fists and gathering together my determination.

Ochako nodded reluctantly, obviously unsure about my decision. "Alright," she agreed quietly, before stepping away. "Guys, lets go on ahead and give them a moment," she said, grabbing Izuku's wrist and pulling him along with Momo and Tenya.

I took a deep breath and turned around to face Shouto. "Hey," I said calmly.

Shouto looked nervous, in the most subtle way possible. After months of interaction, I knew better than to think he was apathetic. I picked up on the minor details, the tightness of his shoulders, and way his hands were half curled into fists and how his chin was slightly lower than usual. "I wanted to apologize. During the test, I ran ahead, despite what we had discussed. It was wrong of me," he said. His apology was well articulated, and I knew he had probably picked out each word carefully before approaching me.

I straightened my spine, and tried to emotionally remove myself from the situation. I was going to be mature about this, so I could avoid a repeat of the Sports Festival. "Shouto, you're my friend, and I don't want to lose that friendship. I understand that you're sorry, but…" I paused, not quite sure how to continue. "I have a bad habit of holding grudges. I'm not sure if I'm ready to forgive you quite yet," I tried to ignore how Shouto's jaw tightened in response. "I'm going to ask you to be patient with me, please. I think… I think I'll get over it soon," I clenched my fists, resolving myself. "At the very least, I'm going to try. You weren't the only one at fault there. Bakago and I screwed up as well."

Shouto nodded curtly, looking frustrated. I couldn't find it in me to be sorry. "I understand," he agreed.

I fidgeted there for a moment, before turning around. "The others are ahead of us," I said. "We should probably go join them." It was probably the closest we'd get to a truce for now.

Shouto started walking forward, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Alright," he said. After a few seconds, I shook my head and followed after him.

I was going to be mature about this. I would be.

* * *

 **From:** Kurosaki **[July 18, 13:18]**

 **To:** Shinsou

Hey Shinsou,

Remember how I said that you might be able to train with my teacher and I when you asked? I talked to Mister Aizawa, and what he said was that he was going to make it my responsibility to train you over the summer. If you agree, I'll do my best to prepare you over the break, and when school starts Mister Aizawa will test how you've improved. If he approves of your abilities, you'll get to train with us from then on, and I'll have proved my capabilities as a leader. Sorry for taking over a week to get you an answer.

Thanks,

Ichigo Kurosaki

 **| Re: From:** Shinsou **[July 18, 13:25]**

 **To:** Kurosaki

Kurosaki,

Are you serious? There's no need to apologize, I'm glad I got a response at all. I'd like it if you could tell me more about the "test" when school starts again, but otherwise I'm all in. Thanks for the opportunity.

Hitoshi Shinsou

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **AllisBlanche:** I'm glad my story improved your day. It makes me super happy to hear that! And yeah, I can see how Ichigo would relate to people who are smart, but less outgoing. I'm one of those people, so its understandable that it would bleed into my characters. As for getting uncooperative group mates, I've been there before, and it really sucks :( Fortunately, I've always been very good at beating people over the head until the cooperate with me, so I've never experienced what you're talking about. Apparently I scare people.

 **animefairy299:** Ichigo should be fine... eventually. There will be many lasting repercussions from this incident. Ichigo's self-esteem is fragile as is. And yes, Ichigo could survive getting her heart ripped out. Technically, because her quirk is _Mitotic_ Regeneration, aka regeneration on a cellular level, Ichigo could revive from anything so long as a single healthy cell of her was left. So you could rip out one of her hairs and then utterly destroy her body, and she would still come back. The issue is that if she uses her quirk for too long without cooling down, she dies.

 **castielris:** Things usually do work out in stories, that's part of why I wanted to rip the rug out from under Ichigo's (and the readers) feet here. I'm glad Ichigo's emotions came across so clearly as well. She is _terrified_ of disappointing Aizawa, especially since he was the first person to truly believe in her. She is constantly in fear of being abandoned, and Ichigo is more accustomed to being hurt than being helped by people she cares about. Some of Ichigo's relationships will suffer because of her failure, but it will be a point of growth to see her learn to repair them again.

 **GreenDrkness:** Yeah, Ichigo has won her previous battles because she got lucky enough to have favorable conditions and cooperative teammates. Take that away, and she fumbles miserably. Without that, she isn't quite so "OP" anymore. She's a scared kid with a lot of power and intelligence, but fear and anxiety can fuck people up. Especially if they lack the confidence to confront that fear.

 **Guest:** Thank you! The one shot was far more appreciated than I thought it would be. Honestly, when I finished that I thought it was terrible, but now that its been awhile I realize I had edited it so many times, I became sick of my own writing XD There will be a Part 2, and its more focused on Shouto than Ichigo, so you'll definitely see the repercussions of everything covered in Part 1.

 **Katr5432:** Yeah, Ichigo's gotten lucky so far, but no more. She'll need true skill and courage if she wants to make it further as a hero. :(

 **Prince:** Thank you! And it really was a slap upside the head. If fights aren't your main priority and you're still reading this, I suppose my character interactions must be doing pretty well. Thanks!

 **xenocanaan:** "We learn more from our failures than our successes." Ichigo's biggest lesson comes from this screw up, and she only has room to grow from here. I'd like to think that if she had lost her scholarship, another agency would've scooped her up, or another hero academy (like Shiketsu). Bakugo would probably feel guilty, but he'd cover it up by hating her guts. Aizawa would've taken Ichigo's failure the hardest, since she was his personal student. He probably would've remained her mentor, and offered her a place as his sidekick once she graduated from Shiketsu; however, their relationship would've never been the same. Idk if I'll do an AU about it, but it could be fun! I figure once this story reaches 500 faves (or some other arbitrary number) I'll do an open request board for oneshots/aus, like I did on Quotev. Thank you for the compliment!

 **ZeQueenOfCards:** Here is your sentimental bonding chapter (you totally nailed it!)


	42. Episode 41: A New Beginning

I woke up in a daze, somehow still feeling tired despite having several hours of sleep. Rubbing my blurry eyes, I let out a loud yawn, and with a satisfied smack of my lips, I rolled out of my sleeping bag. The second my face touched the cold tile floor, I jolted awake, eyes snapping open. I frowned, disgusted that I laid my face on the ground, and pushed myself up to my feet. I stumbled over to the coffee maker on the counter, clumsily shoving a cup of grounds in and starting a pot. With the familiar sound of coffee brewing in the background, I changed out of my gigantic blue pajama-shirt and pulled on my neatly folded school uniform. Undoing the braid I'd left my hair in last night, I watched the final few drops of coffee fall into the pot with a sleepy smile.

Pouring myself a cup of liquid caffeine, I sipped the too hot drink and waited for the sound of Missus Yukihime entering the shop. I had fallen into a morning routine now, much more pleasant than any routine I'd had before. When I'd lived with my grandmother, my routine had involved putting on a painfully tight binder that hid whatever curves I'd developed and carefully picking my appearance apart in the mirror, wondering how my grandmother would react to me today. On the streets, creating a routine had been near impossible, but I'd still had a general schedule of wake up, check stuff, go to library that had been (somewhat) comforting in its familiarity.

Now, I could roll out of bed, drink a pot of coffee, and wait for Missus Yukihime to arrive so I could discuss my chores for the day, before taking the bus towards Yuuei and walking to school with my friends. Giving a small smile when the bells strung to the front door chimed, I finished off the last of my cup and stood up.

Life was a lot more pleasant now in general.

* * *

I stepped off the bus, hearing the doors click shut behind me. With practiced eyes, I spotted a unique head of red and white hair in the crowd of people near the bus stop. Weaving through the mob, I popped up between Izuku and Ochako with a bright grin.

"Good morning!" I sang, just to see Ochako jump and spin around. The others jerked in surprise as well, eyes averting from each other to look down at me. I pretended I wasn't bitter about having to crane my neck to look upwards. "How's everyone doing this fine morning?" I chirped.

Ochako examined me suspiciously. "Why are you behaving so weirdly?" she asked upfront.

I grinned, manic glint in my eyes. "I drank a whole pot of coffee this morning before Missus Yukihime could stop me," I declared, remembering the sweet triumph of gulping down cup after cup.

Tenya chopped his arm down emphatically. "You should not consume so much caffeine before school, Ichigo! It can damage your ability to focus," he scolded. I blinked, unperturbed since I didn't usually pay much attention anyways.

Momo frowned, seeing how ineffective that argument was. "It's also unhealthy," she added, looking at me with concern. "Too much caffeine is bad for you, Ichigo, and you know that."

"My quirk will keep me alive," I assured her happily, bouncing on the balls of my feet from the buzz of too-much-coffee (who was I kidding? You could never have too much coffee, Mister Aizawa told me so).

Izuku glanced between Momo and I like he was watching a tennis match, and Ochako let out a loud, dramatic sigh. "Let's just head to school," she declared, turning around and forcing everyone to head forwards.

Per usual, Shouto and I fell behind. I glanced up at him a little awkwardly, the normally comfortable silence we shared stilted and unfitting. "Uh, morning Shouto," I started, words feeling thick and difficult to get out. "Are you ready for class?"

"Yep," Shouto answered shortly, killing the uncomfortable conversation quickly. I tried to pretend I wasn't relieved, but the watchful glances Shouto directed my way told me I was anything but subtle. The rest of the walk to school was quiet, with the conversation of the four people ahead of us filling in the gaps between car horns and the random passerby. When we finally reached the classroom, I gratefully separated myself from the situation, heading towards my desk.

As I passed by the podium, I noticed Bakugo sitting rigidly in his chair. I narrowed my eyes at him, and then turned my nose up, flouncing past him and ignoring the hateful gaze burning behind me. Spinning into my seat, I crossed my legs and pulled out my notebook, doodling randomly and firmly refusing to acknowledge Bakugo's building fury.

Before the blonde could finally snap, the classroom door slid open, and Mister Aizawa came shuffling in. The class was instantly silent and at attention, waiting patiently for Mister Aizawa to take his place at the podium. "Good morning," he announced tiredly, taking out a stack of papers and laying them on the podium.

"Good morning, Mister Aizawa," I recited with the class, glad he'd arrived just in time as a distraction.

Mister Aizawa took another few moments to organize himself, before beginning. "Now, about your end-of-term exams. I hate to say it, but some of you failed the practical portion," he said, and my cheeks burned as I felt the other students look to Bakugo, Shouto, and I without subtlety. "Accordingly, all of you will be going to the summer camp," Mister Aizawa continued easily, and a shock ran through the classroom. I shook my head, sadly unsurprised that he had lied (again). "Those of you who failed will be receiving extra training to cover your weaknesses at the camp, however, so I wouldn't feel too excited," he added, thoroughly smashing whatever hopes I had about my first summer camp experience being pleasant. "On the bright side, no one failed the written exams. So congrats," Mister Aizawa finished, voice so dry he could've been talking about a financial report, except with even less enthusiasm. "Now, Midoriya, Iida, distribute these papers, they're parental consent forms and packing lists for the camp," he ordered, waving around the papers.

As Izuku and Tenya stood up to pass out the papers, I leaned back in my seat, biting my lip thoughtfully. I wasn't sure what sort of "extra training" Mister Aizawa could be referring to that would "cover my weaknesses." Bakugo, Shouto, and I had displayed absolutely incompetent teamwork abilities, would be running through cooperative exercises? If that was it, summer camp was going to be an awkward, icey hell.

"Here, Ichigo," Izuku said, handing me one of the papers. I took it from him, muttering a quiet thanks, before scanning the list of items. My eyebrows creased. I didn't own more than half of the required things, and buying them all would put a serious dent in my savings. A waterproof flashlight, mountain climbing boots, and single-person tent?! That was a good two hundred dollars out of my pocket from the get-go.

I tucked the list into my backpack, turning in my seat. "Hey, Momo? Ah, could you see about making some of this stuff for me?" I asked hopefully, waving my hand to catch the other girl's attention. Momo glanced up, and I added, "I understand if you can't, it's just that I'm not sure if I'll be able to get everything…"

Momo smiled and shook her head. "I am more than willing, Ichigo. Please write down the things you need me to create," she said helpfully. I grinned and nodded, turning around in my seat to scrawl out a list of the items I needed to obtain and couldn't afford.

* * *

At the end of the day, I walked out of the classroom with my bag over my shoulder. Normally, I'd walk back to the bus stop with Ochako, but a brief explanation, we hugged and headed in opposite directions, her towards the door and me further into the building. When I reached the athletics field where Mister Aizawa had originally orchestrated the Quirk Assessment Test, I dropped my bag on the bench and removed my jacket.

"Hey," Shinsou greeted from behind me, and I turned around to see him standing awkwardly near the exit, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

I smiled. "Hey," I responded, before pointing towards the locker rooms. "You should go change into your gym uniform," I suggested.

Shinsou blinked, and then grimaced. "Sure thing," he agreed, strolling towards the locker rooms. I watched him go carefully, mind rerunning the plans I'd made in my head. I needed to assess so many things before I could create a physical training regimen for him to follow while I was at camp, so when I returned we could start combat training immediately. Stamina, strength, speed, reflexes, decision-making, flexibility, dexterity, and so much more. This was going to be so difficult… for Shinsou.

Now I understood why Mister Aizawa enjoyed training me so much. There was a certain sadistic pleasure in ordering someone else around, especially when you'd been forced to do the same thing before. Shinsou would share my pain.

When the purple-haired boy came out wearing his blue jumpsuit, I smiled at him apologetically. "You think you're ready?" I asked, already feeling sorry for what was coming next.

"Yeah," Shinsou confirmed, tensing as he unconsciously picked up on the waves of empathetic regret I was radiating.

"Great," I began, taking a deep breath. "I need you to go do the fifty-meter dash, do it three times so I can get an average score. And… and then you'll do the grip strength test, and then the ball throw, and then I'll lead you through some stretches… and then you'll just run laps until you can't?" I finished on a questioning note, seeing the almost pained look on Shinsou's face. I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, but that was about how my training started out. I need to get a good basis for your skills before creating a training schedule for you."

Shinsou's face twisted up like he'd just bitten into a cherry and cracked his teeth on the pit. "This is going to be a theme, isn't it." It wasn't a question.

I paused for a moment, and then nodded slowly. "Ah, pretty much," I said, and then winced when I saw Shinsou slump in defeat. "On the bright side, it gets easier!" I assured him. "I mean, I've been doing it for almost a year now and I definitely have a easier time now."

"Kurosaki, you could be considered a martial art prodigy," Shinsou deadpanned. He looked frustrated and angry, like my ordering him around wasn't what he expected at all.

I bit my lip and narrowed my eyes. "That doesn't mean anything!" I declared, raising my voice angrily. "Don't discredit me or yourself with excuses. I worked hard to get where I am, I trained for hours every day. You said you want to become a hero, right?" I challenged, staring him in the eyes and watching Shinsou's gaze solidify. "Tenacity will get you much farther than talent. If I didn't work for what I wanted, I wouldn't have ever even reached the academy gates. So, we'll do the stupid tests, we'll figure out where you are, and then move from there."

Shinsou raised an eyebrow. " _We?_ " he repeated mockingly. He was the only one being tested, after all. I was speaking from a hypocritical standpoint, in his eyes.

"Yes," I said tersely. "We." I unzipped my backpack and dug out my gym uniform, stalking past Shinsou into the locker rooms, dropping my skirt to the floor and ripping off my shirt in record time. I was changed in under a minute and raced back out. Shinsou looked disbelieving, so I dropped my folded uniform on my bag and faced him, jaw set.

I wasn't Mister Aizawa, and I couldn't teach like him. Eraserhead was an established hero, I was just a student. I had to take a different approach from Mister Aizawa, if I wanted to train Shinsou successfully. Copying Mister Aizawa wouldn't work here, I needed to teach Shinsou from a different standpoint - as his peer and equal. I had to do this on my own merit.

I pointed towards the fifty-meter dash first, forcing Shinsou to meet my eyes. " _We_ are going to do the fifty-meter dash three times, and _we_ will do the grip strength test and the ball throw. _We_ will do a series of stretches together, and then _we_ will run laps until you drop," I said firmly, emphasizing each word. "It's going to suck, but I've done it before, and it'll pay off. So do you want my help training, or do you want to stop here and now?"

Shinsou stared at me a moment, clearly stunned. Then, he smiled and shook his head. "You're going to do this… with me?" he repeated, sounding amused. "What is wrong with you, Kurosaki?"

"How would I know? Crazy people don't know they're crazy," I answered, relaxing my stance as I realized Shinsou wasn't going to give up. "So, are we doing this?" I asked, just in case.

Shinsou lifted his chin, expression determined. "Yes," he said, clenching his fists. "Let's do it."

I grinned. "That's the spirit!" I cheered, bee-lining for the fifty-meter dash.

* * *

 **Mailbox/Explanation**

* * *

TO THOSE IT MAY CONCERN: You may have noticed the chapters were getting shorter recently. Very soon, you will notice they are much longer. This is because I originally wrote this story in "seasons" and had a schedule with deadlines to meet (this site will be catching up very soon). "Season 1" ran until Episode 40, and at that point I had actually fallen behind in writing. Because of this, the chapters were shorter. This chapter, titled "Another Beginning", was the start of "Season 2", so if it seems a little repetitive, and out of place, please keep in mind it had been my first update after a month long hiatus, and it was supposed to be the intro to returning Shatter The Sky to normal. Thanks.

 **animefairy299:** I plead the fifth.

 **AllisBlanche:** You just graduated?! That's awesome! I'm still in my first year of university, I have a lot of time left! I'm glad I contributed to your day, hope it was amazing! As for future Shouchigo interactions, this chapter probably speaks for the future. At least for a little while. They just hit a major stop gap in their friendship, much less a possible relationship. I promise though, that _whatever_ ship is in the future will have a lot of buildup and development. I want Ichigo to have a healthy, long lasting relationship, and I'll try to keep the eventual romantic elements of this story as down to earth and natural as possible. Plus, I don't want to declare anything yet, the final pairings could still change.

 **xenocanaan:** Oh, she still is! Always remember: Aizawa _lies._ He is a lying liar who _lies._

 **Guest:** Thank you! And yes, Aizawa and Ichigo's relationship is just so great to write. Aizawa is the closest thing to a father Ichigo has ever had, and he's so awkward about it. They are the BEST!

 **GreenDrkness:** You're being too hopeful. But I have a good reason. And Shigaraki hates Ichigo with a passion, think of that what you will.

 **The Independent Variable:** Firstly, here is your more. Secondly, thank you :) Glad you appreciated my story, and that it continues to be enjoyable! A lot of this is me experimenting with different ideas and styles. Good to know my efforts are paying off!

 **Rinto:** Thanks, I hope you continue to do so.


	43. Episode 42: Midoriya the Trouble-Magnet!

Saturday morning, I woke up with a bright grin and eager attitude. My classmates were heading to the mall in the afternoon, and unfortunately, I couldn't buy anything at the mall, even if I'd had the free time. As compensation, Ochako offered to email me a picture of Tenya and Izuku wearing some of those knitted caps with ears, so I wasn't _too_ upset.

Swallowing down my last bit of coffee, I walked over to the bathroom sink to rinse out the cup. I heard the bell tinkle as Missus Yukihime entered the shop behind me, and with a small smile I poked my head out of the bathroom. "Morning, Missus Yukihime!" I chirped, seeing the older woman checking over the petunia display.

Missus Yukihime glanced back at me, and bobbed her head in acknowledgement. "Good morning, Ichigo," she said, and I spun out of the bathroom, laying the cleaned cup next to my precious coffee maker.

"So, what do I have to do today?" I asked, grabbing my sleeping bag and rolling up as I waited for a response.

Missus Yukihime hummed lightly in response. "It should be relatively simple. Just a quick sweep at the front, and wipe down the counters and windows before we open," she decided. "You've kept everything clean so far, there's not much to do!" Missus Yukihime chuckled, and I grinned proudly, tucking my sleeping bag next to my backpack.

"I'm glad! Than I'll get to it immediately," I said, walking over to the supply closet. The list was relatively short, so I could finish it quickly and head over to the library to start working on Shinsou's training routine. Before I could exit the back, Missus Yukihime let out a small gasp. I whirled around, wondering what I'd missed, only to see her staring at the wall calendar in surprise. "... What's wrong?" I inquired cautiously, confused by her behavior.

Missus Yukihime turned around, and then smiled softly. "Sorry, I didn't realize the date," she explained. I stared at her blankly, wondering how the date warranted a gasp of surprise. Missus Yukihime laughed at my clearly baffled expression, turning back to the calendar and tapping one of the many squares. "When you informed me you were going to leave for summer camp over the summer, I scheduled a vacation to Europe. My daughter lives in Britain, I wanted to take the opportunity to visit her," she said, and my eyes rounded in shock.

"Y-you're going to Europe?!" I choked out, surprised (and slightly jealous). "That sounds awesome!"

Missus Yukihime chuckled lightly. "I didn't want to leave you alone at the shop, so this way we'll both be absent at the same times," she said, before smiling at me with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "I'll be sure to bring you back some food as a souvenir," she offered teasingly.

"No, that won't be allowed on the plane," I said seriously. "But could you see about getting me some recipes?" A moment after I spoke, I blushed, realizing how much I'd just accidentally assumed. "A-ah, I mean, if you don't mind, you don't have to get me anything, I j-just wanted to try cooking some food from another country," I excused frantically, bowing apologetically. "I c-could use the internet, so it's not a problem, I really shouldn't have asked!"

Missus Yukihime stared at me for a moment, and then sighed. "You had been doing so well," she remarked mournfully, before stepping forward and patting me on the head placatingly. "I don't mind getting you some recipes at all, my daughter would probably be overjoyed that someone's even asking. She's always had a fascination with baking," she said.

My face heated up further from my own overreaction. "R-right, sorry," I mumbled, straightening up and hiding my face.

"Don't stutter, Ichigo," Missus Yukihime scolded, stepping past me towards her office. "Now, I assume you have places to be?" she asked expectantly.

I smiled and nodded, cheeks still red hot. "Yep!" I confirmed, scrambling to pick up the cleaning supplies I needed and rushing out to the front.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, and I was taking the bus towards the library. When the large glass-and-concrete building finally came into view, I couldn't help but smile. As soon as the bus stopped, I was racing out the doors and up the steps towards the doors. Darting inside, I spotted the computers and "walked" myself over. Falling into a less than comfy wooden chair, I shook the mouse as the computer display switched on, immediately clicking on Microsoft Excel.

Staring at the map of blank white boxes, I reviewed the data I'd collected from Shinsou. His speed and reflexes were impressive, but his strength, stamina, and flexibility needed work. He'd have to focus most of his training on those weaker aspects if I wanted him up to par by the end of the summer.

Remembering the activity ratio of the schedule Mister Aizawa had kept me on, I typed out a few numbers, mind already occupied with crunching numbers and considering the possible results. Shinsou would have to dedicate a lot of time to this plan, if he wanted to improve, which meant that whatever regimen I made was guaranteed to be hellish. If I wasn't careful, I could drive Shinsou to the ground.

With a heavy sigh, I climbed to my feet and started towards the ceiling high shelves of books, resigned to spending the rest of the day researching health and fitness training.

* * *

Flipping through the pages of the third sports medicine book I'd analyzed in the past hour, I tried to keep my eyes from glazing over. As much as I loved learning, some topics just didn't interest me. As it turned out, the science of balancing activity and rest in training regimens just wasn't my thing.

With a defeated sigh, I closed the book on the computer table, handing my head forwards. My brain was swimming with useless statistics and facts that I probably wouldn't ever forget. My valuable memory space was being eaten up by facts on the benefits of eating oranges after an intensive workout (hint: I didn't care).

Suddenly, the computer let out a ding. I flinched in surprise, catching a dirty look from the librarian moments before I reached out and turned the volume down. I hadn't realized that it was on in the first place. When the librarian finally looked away from me, I turned back to my email, searching for the new message. My blood froze at the sight of a message from Ochako titled "EMERGENCY!"

* * *

 **From:** Uraraka ochako_uraraka .com **[July 20, 16:32]**

 **To:** Kurosaki

Ichgio u need to get oer here quicjk izuku got atacked by a vilain the mall and the plioce are here plz we need u thss is bad!

* * *

 **| Re: From:** Kurosaki ichigo_kurosaki .com **[July 18, 16:33]**

 **To:** Uraraka

I'll be there immediately!

* * *

My fingers flew across the keyboard as I scrambled to type a response, and seconds after I hit the "send" button I was logging out and shutting down the computer. I didn't bother to put away my stack of books, running out the library door in a blur of pink. I'd heard the discussions in class while everyone was planning the mall visit, so I knew exactly where to go. It was only a few blocks away, and in my slightly panicked state it didn't occur to me that if the police had already arrived at the mall - a highly public and civilian populated area - the situation was probably already over and Ochako was freaking out in the aftermath. Instead, I shot down the sidewalks on foot, scuffing up my sneakers and booking it towards the mall.

When the shopping center came into view, my eyes immediately picked up on the five police cars parked out front. Skidding to a stop in front of the building, I paused as one of the officers stepped forward to block me from entering.

"This place is closed off due to an emergency situation," the officer informed me, as his other partner moved to block the doors from the other side. "You need to leave the area immediately," the officer ordered.

I clenched my jaw, wondering what I needed to say to get access to the building. I couldn't lie about familial relations without getting in serious trouble. While I could tell the truth about my friendship with one of the students inside, that wouldn't be severe enough to warrant an immediate response. I couldn't contact Ochako again either and ask for her to help me inside, since I didn't have a phone or computer at hand.

"Kurosaki-chan?" A tearful voice sounded from behind me. I spun around, still on edge from Ochako's sudden email. I wasn't extremely surprised to see Miss Midoriya, with glassy eyes and a runny nose, scurrying towards me.

I smiled reassuringly, despite having zero information. "Miss Midoriya? It's good to see you," I said politely, walking towards the older woman. "Have you been able to find out about Izuku?"

"N-no!" Miss Midoriya sobbed, wiping her nose with a tissue. "I d-don't know w-where my son is and n-no one is willing to t-tell me anything!" I blinked in shock, wondering what they were handling that was so important they couldn't give information about a minor's condition to their guardian. Then, I realized that standing there while Miss Midoriya cried was probably very insensitive, so I awkwardly stepped forward and pat Miss Midoriya on the shoulder.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," I said, mind returning to the comforting world of statistics and facts. "If the media hasn't been alerted yet, Izuku likely survived his encounter. Less than 10% of hostage situations involving minors result in casualties if the heroes are alerted within thirty minutes, and if the police are handling the situation, that means the heroes weren't even necessary. I highly doubt Izuku is injured," I informed the crying mother, not realizing that most people didn't want to hear a bunch of numbers for "comfort".

Miss Midoriya sobbed harder. I jerked my hand back from her shoulder, startled. Staring at Miss Midoriya with wide eyes, I realized that while I could handle kids, crying parents were not my specialty.

I'd need to talk to Mister Aizawa about this.

"Ichigo? Miss Midoriya?" A familiar voice cut in. I turned towards the mall doors to see Ochako being escorted out by a police officer. Her eyes were wide and she was clearly covered in sweat, but compared to whatever state she'd been in when she'd emailed me, Ochako had clearly improved. That meant good things for Izuku.

I hurried over to Ochako's side, desperate for assistance comforting Miss Midoriya. "Hey, everything good?" I asked, stopping in front of her.

Ochako looked down at me. I noted that her eyes were red and puffy, like she had been crying but had recently stopped. Her nose was read as well. "Yeah," Ochako confirmed. "Izukun is just fine… he's talking to a detective right now, but he should be released soon."

I let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Thank goodness," I sighed, stepping forward and reaching up to hug Ochako around the shoulders. I ended up having to stand on my tip-toes. "I'm glad you're okay," I said, voice muffled by Ochako's shirt.

Ochako laughed, and although it sounded a little forced, she hugged me back regardless. "Me too," she agreed, and I felt her face press against the top of my head. "Thanks for coming so quickly too. I wasn't sure when you'd get my email."

I let go of Ochako's shoulders, stepping back. "You caught me while I was at the library, actually. I saw your emails seconds after you sent it," I said, smiling at Ochako, who managed a small smile back. I then turned to gesture to Miss Midoriya. "Uh, Ocha-chan, Miss Midoriya is here too… the police haven't been able to tell her anything about Izukun, so if you could… y'know…"

Ochako looked to Miss Midoriya wearily, while the older woman wiped her face clean. "Miss Midoriya, your son is perfectly fine. Scared, but fine," she informed the mother firmly. "He's talking to a detective right now about the incident, but you should be able to take him home tonight. The paramedics have already cleared him."

Miss Midoriya practically radiated relief. "Oh, th-that's good. Thank goodness…" she murmured, before sniffling. I flinched, really unsure about how to comfort this crying mostly-stranger.

Fortunately, Ochako wasn't so unconfident. The brunette moved forward slowly, standing by Miss Midoriya's side and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "It will be fine, Miss Midoriya," she said comfortingly, just as the older woman broke into another wave of tears.

I watched them both in silence. Ochako really was good at reassuring and connecting with people, which spoke well for her future as a rescue-hero. I couldn't even begin to understand her easy charisma. I averted my eyes from Miss Midoriya as she sobbed and Ochako rubbed her back soothingly. It wasn't a secret that Izuku only had his mother, but I hadn't considered that Miss Midoriya only really had her son as well. I wondered what it was like, having your world on the line.

I winced, remembering what I'd felt during the USJ incident, when Mister Aizawa had been attacked by the Noumu. If that was even what half of what Miss Midoriya felt like now… I clenched my fists and my jaw.

 _This_ was why I wanted to become a hero. To prevent others from _ever_ feeling like this.

* * *

After half an hour, Ochako managed to coax Miss Midoriya into entering a cafe across the street. I followed them, along with two police officers who were meant to guard Ochako and Miss Midoriya, in case the villains returned. No one ate anything, but I quietly sipped tea and listened to Ochako and Miss Midoriya talk as the sky outside slowly darkened. At around 6 pm, one of the officers approached our table.

"Miss Midoriya, Miss Uraraka," he began, back straight and eyes sympathetic. "Izuku Midoriya has just been released from police custody. If you'd like, I can drive you to the station to meet him."

Miss Midoriya nodded, her expression much more confident than before. "I would appreciate it," she said firmly, standing up and dropping several dollar bills on the table. "Uraraka-chan, I will take care of the tab. You and Kurosaki-chan can follow the officer to his car, I'll be there in a few moments." I stared at the utterly transformed woman with wide eyes. Compared to the crying, shaking woman I had first met at the mall, it was a miracle how much her demeanor had changed over the past two hours.

She must really love Izuku, I realized as I stood up from the table, and my lips twisted downwards bitterly. I crushed the spiteful envy I felt welling up in my chest, and followed Ochako and the officer outside. There was a police car parked at the curb, and I sedately trailed after Ochako, sliding into the back of the vehicle.

Ochako leaned over to me once we were both seated. "Y'know, I never thought I'd get to see a cop car from the inside," she said conspiratorial. "We're getting this without being arrested, that's pretty cool!" I blinked at the utter childness of that statement. Then, I started to giggle helplessly. Ochako was far too optimistic, finding the positive even in this situation.

A few minutes later, and Miss Midoriya was sitting beside the officer in the front of the car as we left for the station. I stared out the window in silence for the entire ride. When the car finally slowed to a stop, I was the last one out of the vehicle. It was late enough now that the sun had entirely vanished from the sky, and the streetlights were on.

Climbing out of the police car, I got smacked in the face by a frigid burst of wind. I pulled my scarf up to hide my face, and turned around. Miss Midoriya was already running forward, arms crushing her son to her chest. Despite being taller, Izuku looked suddenly small beside his mother, leaning down to wrap his arms around her just as tightly. Ochako was beside them, smiling with watery eyes and her hands clasped in front of her, like she was restraining herself from interrupting the mother-son moment.

I smiled softly, and _walked_ towards them. It was good to see Izuku was fine. And if I wiped my eyes at any point during the encounter, no one had to know.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

Tell me what you guys think of this new mailbox "style". It's easier on me, so I figured why not try it. Hooray for copy-paste!

 **Wicken25 chapter 42 . 16h ago**

Will you be doing the 2nd part of the soul mate omake it was really good it would be interesting if aizawa investigates her background more thought and with endeavour figure out the reason she hates the soul mate processes running her life

 _Yes, there will be a Part 2 of the soulmate AU. Aizawa will definitely be investigating Ichigo's background, although the Part 2 is mostly Shouto-centric._

 **Prince chapter 42 . 22h ago**

I really liked this chapter when I read it on quotev. Ichigo doing the workout right alongside Hitoshi was the most... hm... empowering/platonically adorable(?) thing ever!  
The next few chapters are going to be so painful though. I just wanted to pat Ichigo and tell her everything would be ok :(((

 _Thank you! Imagining them working out together was so much fun, I wish I was a better artist so I could confidently draw them running together and attach it to the chapters :3 Ichigo definitely needs a hug, she might stiffen up a bit though. Ochako is still conditioning her on accepting hugs/talking to strangers._

 **xenocanaan chapter 42 . May 20**

I can see Aizawa waiting until the last moment to let her know that she is actually coming along. Is it bad that I really want to see how Ichigo and Dabi will interact? Fantastic chapter and I can't wait to read more!

 _Ichigo expects Aizawa's lies at this point, its hard to surprise her about anything. Ichigo and Dabi will be... very passionate about each other. A "burning" passion, if you will. I don't want to give anything away, so I can't say much more. Thank you, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!_

 **GreenDrkness chapter 42 . May 19**

Awww Shinsou would have been so useful at the summer camp and I love how she is training them  
Ok so I can see that Momo is making her things so would that mean that she won't be going to the mall?  
Keep on the writes

 _Shinsou really would've been useful, too bad he couldn't come :/ Ichigo training Shinsou is so much fun to imagine, seriously. I wish I could draw well so badly right now. And I think this chapter answered your question, but yes, Ichigo isn't going to the mall. She doesn't have much money, and she doesn't want to attract any suspicion about just how bad her financial situation is, so going to the mall and buying nothing is a bad idea. Thanks, hope you enjoyed the chapter!_

 **AllisBlanche chapter 42 . May 19**

Can't wait for the chapters to get longer xD mentor ichigo is so cool. I love that you dont force the romantic interactions and actually build up the relationships between the characters. I've read some manga where the lead falls in love within days and theyre just suddenly in a relationship with the love interest.

 _Mentor!Ichigo is very fun to write, especially since this is her first time not copying Aizawa at something. So far, emulating her teacher has been her #1 priority, but if she's going to surpass him, Ichigo can't be Aizawa 2.0. That's the significance of her training him the way she is: as an equal. Aizawa didn't train her that way. As for the romantic relationships, - I'm not big into romance, as in at all. My perfect future has me and a big circle of friends, no weddings or kids - I see a long lasting relationship as a pair of best friends, really. Your wife/husband/significant-other really becomes your #1 confidant and companion (in a successful relationship, anyways), and that's why I have such an issue with so many romance stories. They make relationships seem effortless, when they're really not. They're a lot of work, and can sometimes be ugly and hurtful and tiring. Those manga/stories you mention create an unrealistic ideal, and if there's one element I try to keep "realistic" in my writing, it's the people. So Ichigo and her future partner will have a long road ahead before they get together, but I'd like to think it'll be worth it :)_


	44. Episode 43: No Cat-People!

I woke up with a long, satisfying yawn. Stretching my arms out, I rolled out of my sleeping bag… and crashed to the floor. Shooting up to my feet with wide eyes, quirk already activated and fists raised, I scanned the surrounding living room in a panic. Then my sleepy brain caught up with me, and I sighed in defeat, lowering my arms and deactivating my quirk.

"Geez Icchan," A tired voice cut in. I flinched, spinning around to see Ochako laying on an air mattress only a few inches away from my feet, eyes half-shut and sparkling with amusement. "That was a-" she paused to yawn, "- violent wake up call. Did you have a nightmare?" Ochako asked, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

I flushed in embarrassment, looking away from Ochako's rumpled pink pjs to stare at the Midoriya's kitchen. "N-no," I answered, before coughing uncomfortably. "I, ah… rolled off the couch and hit the ground…"

Ochako laughed, rubbing her eyes blearily. "That makes sense," she chuckled. "Remind me to never wake you up then."

"Oh, you can do that, just make sure you're several feet away," I told her helpfully. When I received an odd look, because Ochako hadn't been serious, I added, "I almost broke Izukun's arm when I was in the hospital and he was nearby when I woke up."

Ochako stared at me with wide eyes. "Definitely remind me of that then," she said, looking half-stunned and half-petrified. I giggled at her dumbfounded expression, padding over to the couch I'd been sleeping on to grab my backpack and pull out my uniform to change.

After Izuku's kidnapping, Ochako and I had been fairly reluctant to leave the Midoriya's alone. Miss Midoriya ended up offering to buy dinner, since Ochako and I had skipped lunch sitting with her outside the mall, and after the meal it was so late that Ochako and I crashed in the Midoriya's living room. Missus Yukihime had been kind enough to drop my backpack off at the Midoriya's home, apparently having been running errands in the area so I didn't have to feel guilty (I apologized profusely regardless).

"Ichigo? Ochako?" A new sleepy voice interjected. I turned to see Izuku in a pair of gym-shorts and a tank top shuffling his way down the hall, wiping his eyes. "Are you guys awake?" he asked, bearing the worst case of bedhead I'd ever seen. I snapped my hands over my mouth to smother my giggles, my entire body shaking from the struggle.

Ochako had no such restraint. "Oh my god - your hair!" she cackled, pointing a finger at Izuku's head and clutching her stomach. The brunette fell back onto her mattress, gasping for air.

Izuku opened his eyes, blinking in confusion. He reached up to feel his hair, and I saw the exact moment he realized what was happened, because his eyes widened and then his face turned as red as a fire-hydrant. "I'll b-b-be b-back in a s-second!" he shouted, darting back down the hall, presumably to brush his hair.

My hands fell away from my mouth, and I bursted in giggles as well.

* * *

"We're cancelling our stay at the lodge we've been using every year," Mister Aizawa announced to the class, ripping the original summer-camp plan in half. "Our new destination won't be revealed until we get there." I blinked in surprise at the sudden declaration.

The class was equally shocked. "NO WAY!" they shouted in unison, reflecting my shock at the unexpected change.

"But I already told my folks!" Sero protested, staring at Mister Aizawa pleadingly.

From behind me, Momo muttered, "I wonder if this is for security reasons, to protect us from another attack." I leaned back, subtly making eye-contact with her and nodding. Now that she had suggested it, that did seem like a plausible reason.

"Keeps the information from spreading," I whispered in agreement, before facing forward again when I heard Bakugo speak.

He was facing the front, shoulders hunched in and head held high. I assumed he was glaring at something. "Dumbshit, shoulda killed his ass, even if you broke a few bones," he growled, and I tensed immediately, knowing exactly who he was talking about.

"Bakago, don't talk about things you don't understand," I declared angrily, and clenched my fists when the blonde turned around to stare at me with baleful red eyes. I narrowed my own in response. "I don't remember you doing so well when you faced a villain alone," I jabbed. I heard Izuku gasp, and instantly felt guilty. That really wasn't something I should've brought up. I almost apologized, but Bakugo beat me to the bunch.

His lips curled back in an ugly snarl, eyes sparking. "Shut the fuck up, Ichimi," he snapped, spinning his head back towards the front.

Izuku glanced back at me, eyes wide, and I could see the reprimanding look reflected inside. My shoulders slumped, and I ducked my head to hide my face behind my bangs. My grudge match with Bakugo was going too far. I was digging up past incidents that should've been left buried. What was I doing? I thought I was going to be mature about this!

When class finally ended, I was quick to rush out the door, belongings already gathered in my arms. I raced into the hallway, and when I spotted a familiar head of purple hair, I darted forward, grateful for the distraction.

"Hey, Shinsou!" I called, waving my hand to catch his attention. Shinsou turned around, visibly scanning the area before looking down. My lips turned down immediately, recognizing the slight for what is was. I wasn't _that_ short… oh, who was I kidding?

Shinsou met my eyes, and I noticed that his dark-circles had already begun to reduce. "Hey, Kurosaki," he greeted politely.

I smiled. "You've already started with the schedule, hm? Getting some more sleep?" I asked, despite already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," Shinsou confirmed, shrugging casually. "You said to start as soon as possible."

I nodded. "That's good, you'll need all the sleep you can get," I encouraged, smile widening. "That training regimen is going to drain your energy _fast_ ," as I spoke, I remembered something I had been wondering about. I frowned, hoping that I wouldn't seem impolite. "Uh, Shinsou? Why aren't you going to the training camp like the rest of Class B?" I asked curiously, and then bit my lip, not wanting to offend him. "I was just wondering, cause I know they're going and was wondering-"

Shinsou held his hand up to cut me off. "It's fine," he interrupted, shaking his head at my anxious behavior. "You didn't - It's because I joined in half-way through the year. Blood-King said I wasn't ready for the boot camp, he said I needed to catch-up first," Shinsou explained, face contorting in frustration at the obvious slight.

I winced, immediately picking up on how insulting that was. "I'm sorry for that, Shinsou," I said, despite not being responsible. I wasn't sure what else to say, so I pasted a bright smile on my face. "We'll get you caught up really fast!" I declared confidently, suddenly doubly determined to help Shinsou train over the summer.

Shinsou have me a small, tired small. "Let's hope," he agreed, and I grinned back at him. One of these days, I would get him to smile just as widely.

* * *

The bus ride over to the summer-training camp was slow going. I was quietly sitting next to Ochako, just in front of Izuku and Shouto, but behind Tenya and Momo. Ochako was sharing her earbuds with me, and I was covering my other ear to muffle the sound of Tenya loudly scolding Mineta from across the aisle. The _small_ boy (hah, he was shorter than me) had done something perverse again, and personally I didn't want to know what it was this time. Ignorance is bliss and all.

Ochako had her eyes shut and was bobbing her head along to the music, humming in unison. She was on-key consistently, and I felt slightly jealous. Although I could play the piano very well, I had never been able to sing. My voice was just too high pitched, I sounded squeaky. My music teacher had said I was "a very high soprano", which was code for "please never sing again". Ochako's smooth alto made me envious, and I ended up listening more to her then the actual music.

Mister Aizawa stood up at the front of the bus, and my eyes flickered over to him automatically. I removed my earbud and lowered my hands, swatting Ochako on the shoulder so she'd open her eyes and notice. "Everyone, the bus will be stopping once in about an hour," Mister Aizawa declared, stubbornly refusing to raise his voice. I struggled to understand him, using the faint sound of his voice and the movement of his lips to decode his words. "After that-"

"LET'S PLAY SOME MUSIC!" Kaminari shouted excitedly, throwing his arms into the air. I saw Mister Aizawa's eye twitch as he realized that no one but Ochako or I was listening. The entire bus was chattering, Tenya was still shouting down Mineta and had entirely missed Mister Aizawa standing up, and in the back Aoyama was displaying his new, sparkly purple hat for Ashido and Hagakure.

I sighed along with Mister Aizawa, knowing that we would pay for this later. Mister Aizawa muttered something before sitting back down, and the bus continued forwards. I cringed, tucking the earbud back into my ear. Ochako shrugged and pressed play, clearly having missed every word.

We were going to regret this, experience told me. I crushed that little voice and tried to relax, telling myself that Mister Aizawa wasn't _that_ vengeful.

It didn't work. Probably because I was lying.

* * *

The bus did, in fact, stop around an hour later. There was a large, flat rest-stop along the side of the road, overlooking the mountain we were driving up. As soon as the doors of the tin-can snapped open, the students came flooding out like rats off a sinking ship. I sat in my seat quietly, knowing that if I tried to join the mob, I'd get stampeded. Joys of being way too small.

As I climbed out of the bus, the last one to exit, I could hear Mineta shrieking about his need to use the bathroom. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying the cool mountain air and comparably quiet atmosphere to the crowded bus. Without realizing, I gravitated towards Mister Aizawa, standing several steps behind the taller, silent man and separating myself from the rest of the class, who were still talking loudly.

"We had a reason for stopping," Mister Aizawa advised darkly, and I froze instantly recognizing that tone. The little voice I'd suppressed an hour ago cackled evilly, knowing that payback for our earlier rambunctiousness had arrived.

Hearing footsteps, I spun around, and then my eyes widened in shock. "Yo, Eraserhead!" Two women in skimpy cat costumes shouted at my mentor's turned back. "You haven't contacted us in awhile!"

The entire class turned to stare, and seeing their new audience, the brunette catwoman took a tacky pose. "Lock on target with our sparkly eyes!" she shouted, like she was reciting from a script.

"Stingingly cute and catlike!" The long-haired blonde followed up, taking an equally horrific pose.

"Wild, Wild…!" the two women chanted together, raising their arms. "PUSSYCATS!" I stared at the sparkling duo in horror, before slowly backing up and shifting to place Mister Aizawa between them and I. The teacher laid his hand on my shoulder and dragged me out from behind him without looking, ignoring my look of terror. These women were immodest, loud, and against everything I stood for.

Mister Aizawa shot me a stern look, before explaining the situation to the class. "These are the pro-heroes who will be working with us during the camp. They are known as the Pussycats," he introduced. I took note of the cat ears, paws, and miniskirts, cheeks flushing red-hot. Why were they our teachers?! They were worse than Midnight! The rest of my classmates were also staring at the women with equally dead expressions.

"They're a four-person hero team who set up a joint agency!" Izuku enthused, interrupting the darkened silence. His eyes were alight with fanboy excitement. "They're a veteran team that specializes in mountain rescues! This year will be their twelfth anniversary-!" Izuku was cut off by a paw to the face, the blonde catwoman silencing him viciously. Ochako and I fumed silently in response, not approving of her violence at all.

The blonde catwoman had a dark expression as she batted Izuku away. "I'm 18 at heart!" she barked, claws poking out and digging into Izuku's fluffy green hair. "What am I at heart?" she demanded evilly.

"Y-you're 18!" Izuku answered nervously, voice muffled by the blonde's paws. The rest of the class deadpanned along with Ochako and I.

Mister Aizawa gave me another look of warning. "Greet them, everyone!" he ordered, clearly intending to maintain politeness.

"Nice to meet you!" I said with the rest of the class, despite not meaning it in the slightest. Who were these people and why were they bullying Izuku?! We'd only just gotten him back intact from the last villain!

The brunette catwoman strode over to the edge of the railing, ignoring her partner's antics. She held her arm out grandly. "We own all of the land you see here," she declared, and my jaw dropped. The catwoman pointed into the distance, smiling back at the class. "You all will be staying at the foot of that mountain," she continued.

"That's far!" I whispered in shock along with the rest of the class. They owned all of that land?

Ochako, ever astute, raised her hand. "Um, if the facility is over there, why did we stop here?" she asked, and the entire class broke into nervous mutters of denial.

Slowly, I turned to look up at Mister Aizawa, sensing my impending doom. My mentor was giving his signature Cheshire-cat smile, which meant nothing good for me or the class.

"It's 9:30 am right now," the brunette catwoman observed, grinning and holding up her paws. "If you're fast… maybe you'll get there by noon?" she chuckled at the end with schadenfreude amusement.

Kirishima spun around, red eyes wide in terror. "GET BACK TO THE BUS! _HURRY_!" he shouted, and all of the class turned to run.

I just tensed up from beside Mister Aizawa, knowing there was no escape. Mister Aizawa, for his part, was watching the class with grim excitement, which made me triply anxious for what was to come. If he looked _that_ happy, there was no way we were just walking.

"Kitties who don't make it by 12:30 won't get any lunch!" the brunette catwoman announced, waving her paw at the fleeing students. The blonde catwoman dropped down in front of the class, smiling with excitement. Her paw glowed blue, the ground crumbling underneath, and in an instant, everyone was sent tumbling over the mountain in a landslide of rock and dirt.

From my place beside Mister Aizawa, I was safe. I sighed in relief, and then felt myself get lifted up from the ground by the collar. I managed to turn my head around to see Mister Aizawa hoisting me up by a single hand, still grinning sadistically. "Good luck, Ichigo," he said, and then he tossed me into the wave of earth.

I couldn't help but scream in betrayal. "MISTER AIZAWA Y-YOU BULLY!" I shrieked, swept away by the tide of dirt and my fellow students.

The only response I got as I was sent flying off the mountain was a muffled, "Plus twenty!"

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **GreenDrkness** _Thank you! Inko seems like the type of mom who would go out of her way to connect with her son's friends, so as the story moves forward she'll become more prominent. Plus she's a favorite of mine :)_

 **xenocanaan** _Thanks! Here's your more, hope you continue to enjoy the story!_

 **Prince** _Izuku really is a dork XD So's Ichigo, actually. And yeah, one of Ichigo's best features is her loyalty to her friends. Now if we can get her to actually trust them to be the same, that'd be great. I agree with you on the mailbox thing, I'm just going to edit it a little bit. I can still copy/paste all the responses and still type out my answers after all. Thanks for the feedback!_

 **AllisBlanche** _I actually have been working on original content. Right now though, I'm using fanfictions like this to practice. I haven't really shared my writing with the general public before, so its great to get feedback and see what people like/dislike to read. For example, I had no idea how valued mentor-student bonds were until now. As for the romance, one of my favorite quotes ever by_ _Friedrich Nietzsche is_ _"Marriage as a long conversation. - When marrying you should ask yourself this question: do you believe you are going to enjoy talking with this woman into your old age? Everything else in a marriage is transitory, but most of the time that you're together will be devoted to conversation." In summary, you should marry someone you enjoy talking to, because everything else will change with age. And Ochako has already had an influence on Ichigo, but she'll gain more spotlight in the future. For example, Ichigo didn't like hugs at the start of the year, and now she will willingly hug people BY CHOICE :O But really, Ochako will continue to help Ichigo grow. It's just that her influence is more subtle, because Izuku and Shouto and Bakugo and Tenya are making these huge imprints on her life and future, while Ochako is slowly making Ichigo more social and open. Same for Momo, actually._

 **Pluto's Watcher** _Uh, thanks for the feedback?_


	45. Episode 44: Welcome to Training-Hell!

As I plummeted off the mountainside after being thrown over by Mister Aizawa, I wondered if this was what Jesus felt like when Judas betrayed him. Had Mister Aizawa gotten his thirty silver pieces? Was that a fair exchange for my trust? Or maybe it was more like Benedict Arnold and the Patriots. I had totally just been sold out to the enemy. I had forgiven all the logical ruses before, but this was a whole new level of treachery-

My inner monologue was cut off as I hit the ground, landing on top of something warm and soft: presumably another person. My quirk was already activated, having responded to my rush of adrenaline from the fall, so I didn't feel it when my skull slammed against the person beneath me with a loud clack. I knew it hurt though, because I heard them scream.

"OW!" Hagakure shrieked, and I rolled off of her immediately, spouting apologies left and right and quickly spreading my quirk over to her. I heard the invisible girl sigh in relief, moments before my attention was drawn back up the cliffside.

The brunette catwoman was staring down at us from over the railing. "HEY! SINCE IT'S PRIVATE LAND, YOU CAN USE YOUR QUIRKS AS YOU WISH!" she yelled at us, not that it changed anything for me. "YOU HAVE THREE HOURS TO REACH THE FACILITY… THROUGH THE BEAST'S FOREST!" she warned ominously.

I cringed at the intimidating name, slowly turning to see a forest of gigantic, looming trees easily twenty or thirty times my height. Beast's Forests… there were monsters inside? I was absolutely climbing those trees and freerunning across the entire woods, no arguments allowed. Beasts in the scary, dark woods? Oh heck no.

"The Beast's Forest?!" Kaminari repeated, looking at the shadowed trees. "That name sounds like it came right out of Dragon Quest!"

Beside Kaminari, Kirishima dusted himself off, already straightening up. Following his example, I scrambled to my feet, offering a hand to Hagakure and deactivating my quirk. It was a bit awkward, grabbing onto something I couldn't see, but I managed to help Hagakure up. "We just have to handle it and move on," Kirishima declared to the rest of the class, as we collectively gathered our wits and balance.

Suddenly, Mineta went running past, eyes watering and hands clutching the front of his pants. He left a little dust trail behind him as he rushed into the trees. I watched him go, still a little stunned… and then my mind echoed: The Beast's Forest.

My eyes widened, and I stretched out my hand towards Mineta. "Wait, don't-!" I was cut off by a low, inhuman rumble, as a shadow moved between the trees. I was too far away to glimpse it, but I saw Mineta freeze, shaking in place, just as Shouto, Bakugo, Izuku and Tenya rushed forward, far closer than I was.

I shook my head, wishing I had my night-vision goggles, and ran after them. I had violated one of Mister Aizawa's most persistent rules: Expect, and be prepared for, the unexpected at all times. I had totally left my utility-belt and scarf on the bus. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"CALM DOWN, KIND BEAST!" Koda shouted, scurrying ahead of me with his arms outstretched. The monster he was pleading with came into view as I drew closer, a brown behemoth that looked awfully similar to… dirt. Was it camouflage?

The beast raised its claws to strike Mineta, but moment's before the steely points could make contact, Izuku crashed into the purple-haired idiot, snatching him out of harm's way in a blur of green lightning and red sneakers. I grit my teeth, pushing myself to run forward faster as Izuku tossed Mineta off to the side, facing down with the monster.

I prepared to lunge forward, only for Shouto to beat me to the punch. With the familiar hiss of ice, Shouto immobilized the monster, freezing its feet to the ground. The jagged, solid water pinned the beast down, and it let out a frustrated roar.

"RECIPROBURST!" Tenya shouted, blurring past and smashing through the imprisoned monster's left arm. He skidded to a stop on the other side of the small clearing, pants shredded and engines visible. Around him, clods of soil went flying, and I pulled to a halt as I realized that the terrifying monster wasn't just dirty… it was actual _dirt._

Moments after my realization, in a bright blast, Bakugo smashed through the other side. " _DIE_!" the blonde howled, blasting away the other arm of the beast in a spray of dusty earth. Izuku followed him up shortly thereafter with a streak of lightning, obliterating the monster's chest.

The boys stood in the clearing quietly, having thoroughly defeated the beast, and I stared at them quietly, several steps behind. They had just led, without any communication, a well coordinated attack against an unknown threat. There hadn't been any planning or careful thinking. They had just done it. I _couldn't_ do that! I couldn't head into an unfamiliar situation without any strategy at all! How had they managed to act without needing to discuss tactics first? As everyone congratulated them on their victory, I stood back, hands hanging limply at my sides. Just like the final exam, just like when Izuku was attacked, I was useless. Unnecessary. Unneeded.

My classmates ran past me, not seeing me draw to halt, hands shaking at my sides. Was I that… forgettable? I swallowed at the forbidden word. I thought I'd left that fear behind me, but it seemed it never gone anywhere. Talk about pathetic.

With a roar, another dirt-monster ripped itself free of the ground, this time soaring into the air. From my spot just outside the forest, I could see the earth-dragon go flying over the treetops, eyes fixated on my classmates below. I clenched my fists and walked forward, stopping beside Momo at the edge of the group.

"We have no choice!" Momo shouted, not noticing me in the slightest. "We need to find the shortest route and get out of here!" Her voice was loud and confident, cutting through the scared chatter of our classmates.

I reached out to her, hoping to get her attention. "Uh, Momo? Before we-"

"Yaomomo's right! There's too many of them!" Ashido agreed fearfully, staring up at the rapidly filling sky and effectively silencing me.

I still tried again. "Momo-" I started, only to this time cut myself off with a scared gulp. The others were already clumping up, getting ready to rush forward with no plan at all. I needed to tell everyone to give them my quirk, if only I could just get them to listen. I could help them!

But what good would I be anyways? A bitter, scornful part of me thought. I had already proven how incompetent I was. Why get in the way of my clearly better suited classmates? They knew how to fight. I should just accept the inevitable and fall back from the frontlines, like my quirk destined. I had already failed the final, why screw up further? At least I wouldn't be in any pain. Why struggle with the inevitable?

My hand dropped, and I stopped trying to get Momo's attention as the class prepared to book it for the campgrounds.

"Ichigo?" Tenya's voice interjected between my dark thoughts. I glanced up at him, trying to hide how my lip was bleeding from me biting it. "Did you have something to say?" he asked, eyes focused on me.

I grabbed my skirt anxiously, scanning my fellow students as they grouped up indiscriminately. "I-I c-c-could, a-ah-" I started, somehow reduced to a stammering mess all over again. I tried to choke out the right words, but something clamped down in my chest. I grit my teeth and turned away from Tenya, unable to look him in the eye. "No," I whispered meekly, defeated.

Tenya looked at me with concern, but our classmates were already moving forward, so he said, "Alright then... goodluck, Ichigo," and quickly took off after the others. I watched him run away, my hands shaking at my sides, before I grit my teeth and forced myself to rush forward.

I had fifteen minutes with my quirk, how was I going to use it? In short spans? I could probably get through most of the pain if I rationed my power off, but my temperature would still eventually become a problem. I had to make it across the forest as well, and I only had two and half hours.

Clenching my fists, I looked up to the trees. I'd just have to make do with the branches, and avoid a fight if I could. I had nothing on these monsters, no powers, no tools, no way to destroy them, but maybe, _maybe_ I could dodge and run away. That'd would need to be enough.

I spotted the nearest tree, and quickly scanned the closest branches, mapping my way into the treetops. My classmates were already drawing ahead of me, and I could hear their battle-cries combined with the beasts' roars in the distance. "1… 2… 3…" I mumbled, taking a running-stance. "Go!" I darted forward, picking up enough speed that - for a moment - I managed to run vertically up the tree trunk. Then, feeling my momentum start to slow, I pushed off the trunk backwards, flipping midair so my knees could hook around the next tree branch. Hands extended, I sat up and grabbed the first protrusion in the bark I could find, and scrambled to my feet atop the branch.

I glanced down at the forest floor, now fifteen feet below me, and forced a shaky smile. "Alright, and now to reach the camp," I declared with false-confidence, turning towards where my classmates were fighting. I grit my teeth and ran forwards, legs already tensed so I could jump into the next tree. All I had to do was avoid fighting, how hard could it be?

* * *

It was very, very hard. So much more arduous than any training Mister Aizawa had ever given me. What the heck had I been thinking, jinxing myself like that before I could even start? Eyes squinted and face covered in dirt, I tried to ignore how light-headed I was in favor of stumbling forwards, nearly tumbling out of the tree I was in.

"FUCK!" Bakugo screamed somewhere not too far below me, accompanied by a loud explosion. "HOW MANY OF THESE STUPID FUCKING THINGS ARE THERE?!" I heard the sound of several tons of dirt slamming into the earth, which was rapidly becoming a familiar noise.

"SIX TO THE LEFT, INCOMING!" Jirou yelled back. Based on Bakugo's howl of rage, this was not the correct response. Panting for air, I wiped the sweat from my forehead and jumped into the next tree, landing awkwardly and feeling my ankle ache in response. I had sprained it several trees back, but only an hour into the exercise and an an indeterminate amount of the forest to go, activating my quirk was a sucky idea.

The sudden sound of tree leaves rustling caused my to flinch and spin. My shoulders only slightly relaxed when I saw Tsuyu and not a bloodthirsty dirt-beast. The frog-girl was dripping in sweat, hair plastered to her face and visibly struggling to breath. "Hey Icchan, _kero_ ," she said, falling into to step with me as I unstably leaped into the next tree.

"Hello, Tsuyu-chan," I said breathlessly, wincing as I further tweaked my ankle. "What're you doing up here?"

Tsuyu jumped ahead of me, expression implacable. "Seems nice," she croaked. "You haven't had to fight yet, _kero_."

I cringed slightly at the clear jab, but shook my head and trooped onward, following Tsuyu forward. "My quirk is - less than suited," I responded, voice hitching as I landed in the tree. "I can't attack."

Tsuyu blinked. "I see," she said tonelessly, which tempted me to add, _no, no you really don't_ , but then her tongue was wrapping around my waist and we were effortlessly sailing into the next tree. "I'll help you then, kero. You seem tired," she decided, words lisped. I wanted to argue, but the relief of being carried was too much, so I just relaxed and allowed myself to enjoy the temporary break.

As it turned out, the break didn't last very long. It didn't need to, because the tree-line revealed itself in the distance, and at the sight of the woods' end, my classmates rejoiced. I head at least three celebratory screams before Tsuyu dropped me and booked it. I couldn't bring myself to be upset, taking off for the edge myself. The excitement allowed me to completely overrun my exhaustion, dopamine pumping me up and allowing me to go soaring out of the woods.

Sadly, I fumbled my landing, clumsily tumbling onto the ground and rolling head over heels to land spread-eagled on the dirt. I gasped for air like a fish on land, and even as my sore muscles relaxed, I could feel my ankle start to throb. I activated and deactivated my quirk quickly as I waited for my classmates to all gather, taking the opportunity to heal the torn ligaments. I barely noticed the twinge of pain from the injury, too focused on how disgusting and sticky I felt from all the sweat and dirt. I needed a shower. Immediately.

"So, you're finally here, meow!" The blonde cat lady cheered, standing a few feet away from my downed form with a bright smile. I turned my head to glare at her balefully, and suddenly I realized that the sun was setting… and that meant we were _long_ past our deadline. Catching Mister Aizawa's unimpressed gaze, I rolled over to lay down in the grass face first.

I could hear my classmates moaning and groaning, and Kaminari shouted some response to _something_ the blonde cat-lady said, but I was too far gone to care. Ordinarily I'd offer to heal everyone of their injuries and exhaustion, but I had no energy for that right now. Plus… I was kind of upset. I wasn't sure with who yet, but I would find someone to target soon.

"I'm so hungry…" Kirishima complained, laying out on the grass next to me. "I'm gonna die…" He threw his hands up and flopped back onto the grass. I nodded in agreement, still facedown in the dirt.

The blonde cat-lady laughed, and I burned with _rage_. "Honestly, I thought you all would take even longer!" she chirped cheerily. "You guys had an easier time beating my earth-beasts than I thought you would." I clenched my jaw as she giggled, anger simmering into a slow boil

I was going to kill her. I now had someone to pin my frustrations on. This woman was responsible for my hellish experience in the woods? I was going to strangle her slowly. With my scarf. Once I had it back. Or maybe I could just use my hands? Mister Aizawa had shown me many ways to choke people unconscious without props... My fingers twitched with bloodlust.

"You guys are great! Especially…" The blonde aimed her cat paws into the distance, and I turned to see her pointing at Bakugo, Tenya, Shouto and Izuku. "You four! Were you able to act without hesitation because of your experience?" she gushed, and my spirit wilted. The boys really had performed well, and despite having the same experiences as them… my performance had been dismal. Suddenly, the cat-lady went soaring towards the boys, arms extended. "I look forward to seeing where you'll be in three years!" she screeched. "I call dibs!" The cat-lady ran around Izuku, Shouto, Bakugo and Tenya, making them cringe and cover their faces. Ochako glared at the woman with little subtlety, clearly wanting the woman to back off Izuku.

I clenched my fists in the grass and squinted my eyes shut determinedly, hearing the blonde woman espouse praise for the boys decision-making skills and power. "You stupid, pathetic failure," I whispered into the grass, knowing that no one could hear me. Somehow the lack of response, covered by my classmates' chatter, made my words hit harder. Why was I so weak? Why was I so incapable? How were the boys so much better than me in a crisis, when we had the same experiences?

What was I lacking?

"Hey, Kurosaki?" I flinched, feeling a hand on my shoulder. My head whipped around, and I looked up to see Kirishima standing over me awkwardly, hand still extended. He grinned sheepishly, and I noticed the rest of the class was leaving. "We're heading to dinner," Kirishima explained, pointing in the same direction the others were heading. "You seemed a bit out of it."

I rolled to my feet smoothly, shaking my head and determinedly dismissing whatever thoughts had been plaguing me. I could beat myself up later, when I was alone and had the time for self-reflection. "I'm fine," I said tersely, and then forced myself to smile at Kirishima. "Thank you for telling me."

The grin Kirishima offered me back felt just as fake. I wondered how bad my acting skills had deteriorated over the past year.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **animefairy299** _Eh he he… uh, yeah, no. She's kinda relapsing. Her self-image has taken yet another nosedive... but its only up from here? ('~')_

 **Prince** _XD I actually laughed aloud when I read your comment. Aizawa really is the biggest, pettiest bully to ever roam Japan. And yeah, I have to say that while Ichigo has her problems with grudges and emotional difficulties, but I give her credit - she is very good at compartmentalizing who she's angry at._

 **castielris** _I honestly haven't read that many fanfictions for BNHA here on . I usually prefer AO3 for BNHA fanfics, so I can't really make any good recommendations, sorry. Also, I actually don't know if Shinsou would've been helpful, because it's already been shown that he's not the most physically fit. He might've been in more danger than he'd be help._

 _P.S. Please tell your husband to be nicer to Ichigo, she's stressed out as it is._

 **xenocanaan** _Thank you! I have a pretty dark sense humor as well, other people's suffering amuses me deeply. I connect with Aizawa on a spiritual level. He is me and I am him._

 **GreenDrkness** _Thanks! Ichigo's speech in the beginning probably didn't help XD I just imagined her voice getting quieter as falls screaming "YOU TRAITOOooorr…!"_

 **AllisBlanche** _I am catching up to the anime! I'm also catching up with myself, updates are going to slow down soon XD I actually created an extra arc for the training camp, so the Forest Training Arc is longer in this story. I'm still developing my original ideas, so I don't know how long it'll take. I'll probably get around to it eventually. I have some other fanfictions on Quotev if you like to check them out though!_


	46. Episode 45: Boot-Camp Bothers!

The camp didn't have private bathrooms. They didn't have _private baths_. I couldn't use a communal bath. My grandmother had taught me from a young age that a towel was _not_ adequate protection for modesty. I had never been in a communal bath before. I never wanted to be either.

Fidgeting awkwardly as the other girls unpacked their toiletries in our shared rooms (I had to share a sleeping space as well. There was no privacy!), I wondered how I was going to get out of this. Could I get permission from Mister Aizawa to take a bath later tonight? I bit my lip, trying to think up a good excuse for not bathing with everyone else beyond "I don't want to."

Ochako was digging through her suitcase when she noticed my lack of movement. She glanced over at me in confusion. "Icchan, why aren't you getting ready for the baths?" she asked innocuously.

I swallowed. "Uh, I don't need a bath," I blustered, unable to think of a better excuse. I clutched my yellow sleeping bag tightly, hoping Ochako would leave it alone.

Ochako took a long moment to scan my sweaty, dirty body from head to toe. "Yeah," she said sarcastically. "You totally have no need for a bath." When I didn't respond, Ochako sighed. "Icchan, grab your stuff."

"Nah," I said, pushing myself into a corner and tucking my legs in defensively. The other girls were starting to look our way, hearing the argument. "I think I'm good." I scooted further back against the wall as Ochako approached me threateningly, dark aura looming. She had no patience, jeez.

Tsuyu poked her head over Ochako's shoulder, black eyes wide. "Icchan doesn't want to bathe with us, _kero_ ," she observed bluntly. This immediately caused the other girls to pitch into the conversation, and I groaned inwardly. Tsuyu was such an instigator.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Kurosaki!" Hagakure encouraged me, earning multiple skeptical looks. She was invisible, of course it worked out for her.

Ashido nodded in agreement, offering me a wide grin. She was already wearing her towel. "Girls do this all the time, Kurosaki. It's just another way to spend time together!" she cheered. I showed her my evidently unimpressed face, because I could think of many other ways to spend time with people.

Momo, who had been previously silent, stepped forward with her hand held out. I glanced up at her awkwardly, and then realized she was offering me a suspiciously tiny bathing suit. "You can wear this, if you'd like," she said understandingly. "I know you're sensitive about this sort of thing, so you can wear this under your towel. I can make similar suits for the others as well..." she looked to the other girls inquiringly.

Jirou grinned, earjacks twirling around her ankles. "I'm cool with wearing a custom made bathing suit," she declared casually. "Especially if it'll make Kurosaki feel more comfortable."

"Sounds good!" Ashido agreed, giving Momo a double thumbs up. "Can mine be purple though?"

My cheeks warmed up at their thoughtfulness, and I smiled tentatively. "Thanks, you guys," I said gratefully, reaching up and taking the suit. Freeing myself from the corner I'd wedged myself in, I climbed to my feet and held out my new bathing suit for inspection. It was a baby blue tankini, and after a few moments of investigation I decided it was a suitable modesty-shield. "This is perfect," I complimented. "I'll go change… over there," I declared, waving a hand towards a corner of the room away from the door. "Nobody look."

Ochako nodded seriously. "I'll make sure of it," she said, cracking her knuckles. I found her evil persona strangely comforting as I moved over to change. The other girls were totally focused on discussing their new swimsuits with Momo, who looked a bit overwhelmed by all the girls competing for her attention. With a small smile, I unbuttoned my shirt, listening to the ongoing chatter over my shoulder. My classmates were… pretty awesome, actually.

Ten minutes later, and we had all gotten comfortable in the hot spring. It was surprisingly well lit, with a stone deck and smooth rocks surrounding the bubbling pool of water in the middle. Off to the side was a large tree, which loomed over the spring and offered shade. A wooden wall divided the girls and boys areas.

"This feels so great!" Ashido cheered, spreading her arms and floating along the surface of the hot spring. She threw her arms up suddenly, sending two arcs of water into the air and immediately dropping under the surface of the water. A few moments later, she popped back up, fluffy pink air drooping comically. Ochako took the opportunity to fling water in her face, instantly starting a splash water.

Momo hummed in agreement from her spot beside me, peacefully sitting off to the side. "I love that there are hot springs here," she commented, eyes shut and arms spread over the sides. "It's very relaxing."

I smiled, up to my nose in warm water. My hair, out of its usual braids, was fanned out around me and twirling along the surface. "Yeah, it's pretty soothing after this afternoon," I agreed, watching Hagakure suddenly ambush Ochako and Ashido with a gigantic wave. Her invisibility wasn't working very well, with all the water and her bright yellow bikini. "Plus we get free entertainment."

Ochako turned around, eyes gleaming. "Entertainment, huh?" she repeated evilly, and I barely had time to react before a wave of water slapped me in the face. I squealed, and then dropped underneath the water, trying to hide from the assault. Ochako was quick to latch onto my ankle and drag me up to the surface though. I caught a glimpse of Momo and Jirou watching me in amusement moments before Ochako dunked my underwater.

"Traitors!" I gargled, struggling to pull Ochako underwater as well.

Suddenly, I heard a very loud, very familiar voice. "Mineta, stop it! What you are doing is demeaning for both yourself and the girls!" Tenya shouted. The water fight slowed to a stop as all the girls realized what had just been shouted.

Jirou's upper lip curled in disgust. "Mineta? Again?" she sneered, earjacks lifting out of the water and angling aggressively. "What's he trying this time?"

"He's probably attempting to get over the barrier, _kero_ ," Tsuyu deduced, floating over from her peaceful corner of the spring.

My face flushed bright red, and I swam over to the edge of the spring quickly, climbing out of the water and rushing over to the exit. "I can't stay here, sorry!" I shrieked, darting out of the springs and back into the changing rooms.

"Icchan! Wait!" Ochako yelled, but I was already long gone, racing towards the girl's sleeping area.

* * *

The next morning, at the bright and early crack of dawn, my classmates and I were out in the field prepared for training. Dressed in my gym uniform and with a half finished coffee mug in hand, I scanned the faces of my classmates and easily picked out the "morning people." I giggled when I saw Ochako's rumpled hair and Kaminari's sour expression. I was forced to cover my mouth when I noticed Tsuyu's valiant attempts to sleep while standing, my shoulders shaking from my efforts to remain quiet. I had a feeling my amusement wouldn't be appreciated.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," Aizawa announced, cup of coffee in hand and grinning sadistically. "Today, your training begins in earnest. The goal of this is to increase everyone's strength in time for you to obtain your provisional licenses." Never one to mince words, Mister Aizawa got straight to the point, regardless of the sun barely being out. "Bakugo!" he barked, tossing a ball at the blonde suddenly. Bakugo looked slightly startled, catching the object that had just been chucked at him a little bit slower than usual. I smirked and sipped my drink, realizing that Bakugo's reflexes had probably been slowed because of how early it was.

Joys of coffee, really. Why wasn't everyone drinking it right now?

"Same as the fitness test, try throwing it that way," Mister Aizawa commanded, pointing out towards the woods. "Your previous record was 705.2 meters," he recalled. "Let's see how you've improved."

Bakugo nodded, marching over to the edge of the clearing stiffly, clutching the softball in his hand. He was clearly taking this challenge seriously. Around me, the others started talking excitedly, and I watched the blonde keenly, wondering how much farther he would manage to throw.

Bakugo wound his arm up, shoulders tense. "Then, here I go…" he started, leaning back for his explosive pitch. Having learned from last time, I backed up to the edge of the clearing, clutching my coffee to my chest. I wasn't going to have my drink spilled by the shockwave. It was a moment too soon, because Bakugo lunged forward, sending the softball once again cannonballing through the air with a resounding boom. "GO TO HELL!" he shouted gutturally, sending his new projectile into the distance, trailing smoke behind it.

As the blonde panted, Mister Aizawa held up a familiar black remote. A few seconds passed, and then he calmly announced, "709.6 meters." I flinched at the unexpectedly small amount, shocked. After the several villain incidents, Bakugo's quirk hadn't strengthened at all?

Standing there in stunned silence, I heard Mister Aizawa explaining something or another dazedly. I was occupied with my thoughts. Bakugo hadn't gotten any stronger. Had any of us really? Izuku had managed his new "Full Cowl", and Shouto had started to use his flame-half. Had there been any other significant improvements? Sipping my coffee automatically, I realized there hadn't been. My quirk hadn't really improved either, although my combat skills certainly had. I froze, realizing what this meant.

I lifted my eyes just in time to make eye-contact with Mister Aizawa, who was grinning like the Cheshire cat again. "It'll be so hard you'll feel like dying," he declared ominously. "But try not to actually die." There was a long pause as that new information sank in, and then Mister Aizawa held up his remote once more. "I have specific training regimens created for each of you. Line up alphabetically and we'll get started," he began, before staring at me specifically. "Kurosaki, the coffee goes away," he said sternly.

I shriveled pathetically.

* * *

Less than gracefully, I ducked another blow from Izuku, slipping out of the way of a super charged punch. The hairs along the back of my neck stood up at the close call, and just as I slid out of the way of his fist, another foot came whistling towards my skull. I rolled backwards, barely dodging again.

Gasping for air, I squinted my eyes as sweat poured down my forehead, making it very difficult for me to see. When some of the salt stung my eyes, I reached up to wipe it away. Izuku took that chance to nail me in the gut, sending me head over heels backwards into the dirt. I hit the ground, winded, and stared up at the sky blankly. My quirk was buzzing underneath my skin, desperate to activate and heal the many bruises (and now potential broken ribs) I had accumulated over the past few hours. I struggled to suppress the overbearing urge just to heal myself and reenergize.

"Sorry, Ichigo!" Izuku shouted breathlessly, eyes wide as he jogged over to me. I realized I had been laying on the ground for several minutes now, and struggled to roll over and climb to my feet. My fingers dug into the dirt, and as soon as I tried to push up my ribcage groaned in protest.

I collapsed face down on the ground, letting out a small puff of air. This training sucked. Izuku was getting practice strengthening his Full Cowl by seeing how long he could hold it up for in a fight, and I was "training" my quirk by not using it. Basically, Mister Aizawa had decided that my quirk had become too instinctive for me. If I wanted to use my quirk as the ace up my sleeve, something to be activated at the end of a battle and catch the enemy by surprise, I needed to practice _not activating_ it every time I got an adrenaline rush. His solution?

Allow Izuku to beat me black and blue, while I struggled to keep from healing myself.

Izuku stopped beside me, dropping to his knees and staring at me with wide, concerned eyes. "Sorry, Ichigo!" he apologized again, leaning down to peer at my face (since it was currently planted in the dirt). "Are you alright?"

"I think you just fractured some of my ribs," I remarked dryly, struggling to push myself up again. This time I managed to get onto my knees before giving out. I took small, short breaths, knowing that if I inhaled too deeply it'd hurt. When Izuku practically wilted from guilt, I forced myself to smile. "It's fine, I've had worse," I said reassuringly.

Two large feet suddenly appeared in my field of view. "Kurosaki! Why did you stop?!" Tiger demanded, looming over me with a fierce expression.

"Sorry, hurt my ribs," I said apologetically, pushing myself to my feet. I attempted to straighten up, but crumpled under the pain. Izuku was still staring at me in concern.

Tiger crossed his arms. "You can't quit now! Push through the pain!" he barked, and then aimed a punch at my head. I barely managed to duck in time, and I could hear the wind whistle past my ears. Tiger nodded approvingly. "Back to work!" he ordered, before rushing off to torture the next set of slacking students.

I faced Izuku, who had a nervous smile on his face. I sighed, and crooked my fingers at him in a "come hither" motion. "Let's just get this over with," I asked, resigned.

This training was hell.

* * *

"Alright, everyone! Your training is officially over for today!" The blonde cat lady, who I now knew as Pixie-bob, announced. I slumped in relief along with the rest of the other students, bone tired.

The new cat lady, Ragdoll, stepped forward as well. "Wow, you all look exhausted! I hope you remember yesterday, when we said that it would be the only time we cooked for you?" she spread her arms, and I finally noticed the series of wooden picnic tables covered in ingredients and cooking supplies. "You have to make your own dinner!"

As the other students expressions dropped, clearly disgusted by the idea of anymore work today, I brightened a margin. Cooking? I loved cooking! With a surreptitious glance both ways, I made sure no one was watching me, and then activated my quirk for a mere second. My ribs instantly snapped into place, skin letting off a small trail of steam as my many, many bruises healed. I took a deep breath, spreading my arms and enjoying the lack of pain that came with inhaling. Then, I grinned. I had been entirely revitalized, like I'd just woken up from a nice nap.

I turned to Ochako and grinned mischievously. "Hey, want to help me cook something?" I asked, hands on my hips. When Ochako just stared at me tiredly, I offered her my hand and wiggled my fingers enticingly. "I'll share my quirk with you…" I sang teasingly.

Fifteen minutes later, and I was on a mission. Scanning the cooking area, which was now bustling with students tripping over themselves in attempts to cook, I searched for a familiar black ponytail. I spotted her near the cooking fires, and I strode over to her immediately. When I saw what she was doing, I paused, staring in disbelief.

"Momo, you have no clue what you're doing, do you," I said blankly, watching Momo attempt to dump an entire cup of salt into a pot of boiling water. Carefully, I snatched the salt shaker out of her hands before she could ruin the food. "No," I scolded her childishly, putting the salt down and batting her hands away from it. "No, no."

Momo looked at me in amusement. "I have never cooked before," she explained. "I'm attempting to follow these directions." She held up the box of premade curry spices for the broth.

I huffed in offense, taking the box from her hand and laying it next to the salt shaker. "No way, that sucks," I declared. "You shouldn't follow those directions unless you want a sodium overdose," I swung my arm out to the tables of fresh vegetables and meat available. "All these wonderful, fresh ingredients, and you're following the instructions on the box? Goodness no," I shook my head, grabbing Momo's wrist and dragging her over to my "secret operation." I grinned up at her and pressed my fingers to my lips. "You have to be quiet about it, but I'm making a much better dinner over here."

"And I assume you have no intent of sharing with the other students?" Momo remarked, as I lead her over to where the other girls were slicing vegetables and dicing steak, per my instructions.

I sniffed in mock snootiness. I honestly didn't want to try and teach forty people to cook right now. I could barely manage ordering around the other girls in Class A. "Of course not," I said, licking my lips theatrically. "It means more good food for us!" Stopping in front of the last open cookfire, where I had a pot of water sitting, I pointed at it sternly. "Now I need you to watch the water. Once it starts bubbling, tell me, so we can start adding the vegetables and spices."

Turning on my heel, I walked over towards the other girls, intentionally ignoring Hagakure's attempts to draw a smiley face in tomato sauce on her cheek. "So, how's it going here? Do you have the meat cubes ready?" I asked. Ochako and Jirou immediately held out their trays, with little piles of steak cubes ready. They weren't perfect, but they were impressive enough for a bunch of non-culinary talented teenagers. Tsuyu was still cutting, but she looked about done as well.

"This good, Icchan?" Ochako asked, smiling anxiously. Ochako had told me she had a little experience helping her mother cook, which was the only reason I'd put her in charge of the meat cutting. Jirou and Tsuyu also had minimal experience in a kitchen, but more than Ashido or Momo (who had clearly never touched a knife in their lives), or Hagakure, who wasn't ever allowed to touch a knife because of her quirk.

I nodded, smiling encouragingly. "It's great, Ocha-chan," I said, taking the two meat-filled cutting boards and brushing their contents into a bowl. "I'm going to go over and sear these. Tsuyu, when you're done feel free to come over and add yours," I instructed, carefully raising my voice so everyone could understand. "In the meantime, Ochako and Jirou, you should help Ashido and Hagakure slice the vegetables."

"Alright," Jirou agreed easily, walking over towards Ashido and Hagakure (I bit my lip to resist saying anything about the carrots embedded on Ashido's horns). Ochako gave me a thumbs up and followed after her.

Tsuyu glanced up from her cutting. "You're a very good cook, _kero_ ," she croaked. "You're also louder than usual."

I tried to ignore how my face heated up at the compliment. "Thanks," I said. "My grandmother taught me how, she used to joke about how I'd make a great hus- wife one day." I smiled at the bittersweet memory of me fumbling around the kitchen as a little girl. My grandmother was very old fashioned about girls' roles versus boys' roles in a household. Cooking was the one thing I could openly do that made me feel… "girly", I supposed.

"Ichigo! The water is boiling!" Momo called, catching my attention.

I smiled apologetically at Tsuyu. "Better get back to work," I said, hurrying over to Momo. I needed to tell her what to do with the spices, after all, and then get to work on searing the meat.

Food was difficult to make, I was lucky I enjoyed cooking so much!

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **GreenDrkness** : _Ichigo's monologue was very fun to write XD And yes, she is definitely flailing about, drowning on land._

 **Moonacre** **BunBun** : _Answering your comments in chronological order - 1) I'll establish her training better in the future, good idea. (2) Thanks! Ichigo's argument with Izuku was definitely necessary for them both to grow. (3+4) Isn't she just precious? :3 I feel guilty for everything I put her through sometimes. (5) Aizawa is definitely a mood._

 **Prince** : _Yes, she's pretty good about targeting her anger XD Ichigo would probably thank you for your concern if she knew. Sadly, Ichigo is very good at putting herself down, and not so good about feeling confident in her own abilities._

 **castielris** : _Yeah, Shinsou would definitely need a bit of luck to survive everything. Fortunately, he has more time to train before diving in head first. Also, Ichigo's self-esteem really is declining. That's part of the reason I haven't had her fail before. As the little genius she is, Ichigo isn't used to failing. Combine that with her low self-esteem, and you have a recipe for disaster. Not only does Ichigo not know how to handle failure, but she instinctively blames herself for when things go wrong. Bad combination. Aizawa might pick up on something being wrong, but Ichigo is very good at bottling up her emotions and distracting herself with other things. So Aizawa probably won't notice because Ichigo will convince herself she's fine, only for all those emotions to blow up later._

 _P.S. At least it's funny. Although do let him know Ichigo is very outraged._


	47. Episode 46: Trial of Trust!

Shortly after we finished dinner (I tried to keep from laughing maniacally whenever someone complained about their food), Mister Aizawa reappeared from inside the building. I had just stacked my dirty dishes in the center of the table when I noticed him. His expression was… oddly pleased, which I knew meant nothing good.

"Extra lessons group! Over here as soon as you're finished cleaning up!" he barked, gaze catching mine. I slumped, realizing that I couldn't pretend I hadn't heard. Having already stacked my dishes up, I drug my feet over to his side, head hung. I may have managed to clear away whatever exhaustion I'd felt from the earlier training, but I wasn't immune to lack of sleep. Not unless I had more coffee.

I managed to slow myself down enough that Bakugo beat me over. He tossed me an angry glare as I approached. "The fuck are you looking so pathetic for, Ichimi?" he demanded.

I narrowed my eyes at him, resisting the urge to shout something rude back. Instead, I crossed my arms and looked at him expectantly. "I wasn't aware you cared, Bakago," I responded sarcastically, trying to hide how his comment hurt. I was still actively trying to suppress my memory of the final exams.

Bakugo bared his teeth at me. "I don't," he growled. "I just wondered why you were slouching, since you're already so fucking short."

I clenched my fists, officially infuriated. Why did he have to mention my height?! I opened my mouth to say something back, but Mister Aizawa cut me off by laying a hand on my shoulder. I glanced up at him sheepishly, embarrassed by my own childishness.

Mister Aizawa leveled me with a stern expression, before lifting his head to look over the three boys in front of him. I tossed Monoma a wary glance, wondering why he was here, before Mister Aizawa made a short order. "Follow me," he said curtly, turning on his heel and stalking into the woods. I focused on his back intently, doing my best to ignore Bakugo's angry presence on one side of me, and Shouto's forever chilled air on the other.

Mist Aizawa led us all through the woods, the air eerily quiet. I could hear myself breathing, and in combination with the occasional rustling of leaves and dark sky, I found myself feeling very twitchy and… well, scared. I was paranoid, okay? Getting stuck in the woods with three people I didn't trust and someone who had recently thrown me off a cliff wasn't a good idea.

"Stop," Mister Aizawa said suddenly, and I jumped in surprise, screeching to a halt. Shouto gave me a odd look, and I flushed, staring down at my feet. I hated when I overreacted about nothing. Mister Aizawa turned around, hands in his pockets. "Everyone here failed the final exam for a very specific reason," he began. "Do you know why?"

There was a long moment of silence, and then Shouto answered. "Teamwork," he said.

"Or rather a lack of it," Mister Aizawa agreed wryly, and I bit my lip nervously. He was looking happy again, which meant whatever he was planning was about to happen. "What are the key elements of teamwork?" Mister Aizawa asked.

I raised my hand slightly out of habit, muttering, "Trust. Understanding." I was reluctant to answer, because I doubted I would like whatever was coming next.

Mister Aizawa nodded. "Good. Anyone else?" he looked to the boys, who were remaining stubbornly silent.

"Leadership is important," Monoma added helpfully, aiming a victorious sneer at me. I stared at him blankly, wondering what his problem was. What had Class A done to him anyways?

Mister Aizawa nodded, looking to Shouto and Bakugo next. Bakugo huffed and looked away, and Shouto refused to make eye contact, staring at an arbitrary point over Mister Aizawa's head. Seeing he wasn't going to get a response, Mister Aizawa shook his head. "You missed two of the key elements," he said. "Teamwork requires trust, understanding, leadership, communication and cooperation. You all lack all five," Mister Aizawa grinned, flashing his teeth. His eyes glinted evilly, and I shuddered. "Therefore, as your teacher it's my job to hammer it in. Since teamwork is a vital part of heroism."

It struck me as odd that he added it being important as an afterthought.

"Now then, for your first trial, you'll be using a pretty basic exercise. I assume you all have heard of trust falls?" Mister Aizawa asked, and after a moment's hesitation, I nodded along with the others. "What we're doing is similar," he began, pointing off to his left, and my eyes widened when I saw a cliff. Mister Aizawa's Cheshire cat grin widened. "Scaled up for future heroes, of course."

I stared at the cliffside in horror, and my mouth fell open. "You want us… to jump off a cliff?" I repeated in terror. How the heck was this a trust fall?! This was more like an exercise in luck!

"If you try to rescue yourself or activate your quirk, you fail, by the way," Mister Aizawa added as an extra note. "You have to trust your classmates at the bottom to work together and catch you."

Bakugo glared at Mister Aizawa. "I don't think Ichimi is going to be catching anyone anytime soon," he argued, and I puffed up at the offense. "She's a fucking midget, any of us could crush her."

I growled. "Actually, I passed the rescue requirements for the Hero Course. I'm stronger than I look, Bakago," I sneered, before looking to Mister Aizawa imploringly. "But, my quirk activates whenever I get an adrenaline rush, so I'm bound to react to this! That's an unfair expectation!" I said, attempting to reason with my sadistic teacher.

 _That_ was a mistake.

"You're right, it's unfair to you, Kurosaki," Mister Aizawa agreed. "New rule, if any of you break the rules, you all fail together," I froze, feeling the boys' glares digging into my back. Whoops. "And the punishment for failing is cooking and clean up for all the meals tomorrow. Which means waking up early and staying up late." I withered pathetically, as the glares aimed at me grew more heated. How was I supposed to trust these people to catch me when they were giving me death stares? "Now then, Bakugo, Monoma, Kurosaki, bottom of the cliff. Todoroki, you jump first," Mister Aizawa ordered unsympathetically.

Reluctantly, I walked over to the edge of the cliff. It was a smaller drop than I thought it would be, thank goodness, only around twenty feet. Seeing no path down the sheer drop, I looked back at Mister Aizawa. He looked back at me expectantly.

With a sigh, I turned around and jumped off. There was a few thrilling seconds of falling, and then I tucked myself inwards, landing in a roll. Spinning head over heels to my feet, I turned around and looked up to see if Monoma or Bakugo were coming. Instead, I saw Mister Aizawa's head leaning over the edge.

"That was more dramatic than necessary," he remarked, and I glared up at him in retaliation. He smiled, and then looked to Bakugo and Monoma, beyond my line of vision. "Get going," he ordered impatiently.

My eyes widened when I saw Bakugo come dropping down, right towards me. His teeth were bared in a vicious grin as he flung himself forward, and I knew instantly that his trajectory was _very_ intentional. I hopped backwards quickly, and a second later Bakugo's feet landed where I'd been standing. He didn't even flinch at the landing, and I wondered just how much his quirk had affected his bone density if he could handle that landing so easily. Clearly, he had no reason to be scared of jumping. _He'd_ be just fine with hitting the ground like a rock.

"Bully," I bit out, offended that he'd tried to drop down on me.

Bakugo's grin turned a little more manic. "Of course," he agreed, entirely unapologetic. I glared at him, until my attention was stolen by the sound of explosions. I looked up again, this time to see Monoma propelling himself to the earth gently with explosions… Bakugo's quirk. Before Monoma could even land, Bakugo was shouting. "DON'T COPY MY FUCKING QUIRK, YOU EXTRA!"

"Bakugo, keep talking," Mister Aizawa encouraged dryly. "I'd love a reason to make you wash dishes tomorrow." The blonde's mouth clicked shut immediately, but I could see his eyes burning with frustration. I smirked, opening my mouth to make a comment, only for Mister Aizawa to speak again. "Kurosaki, if you make any attempts to antagonize Bakugo I'll penalize you as well." My mouth snapped close, and this time Bakugo was giving me a smug look. "Now, if you're all done acting like children..." Mister Aizawa continued ominously, "here comes Todoroki."

My eyes widened, and I looked up to see a very startled Shouto tumble off the cliff's edge, clearly having been shoved. I clenched my jaw, cursing Mister Aizawa for his need to surprise people. Looking side to side, I could see that Monoma had frozen up, and Bakugo was looking very unmotivated to catch anyone. Shouto was turning midair, shoulders tense and fists tight as he tried to keep from saving himself, knowing that would mean failure.

Biting back a curse, I ran forwards, racing past Bakugo and building up enough momentum to run straight up the cliff. I focused my eyes on Shouto's back, feeling myself start to slow down. I couldn't stop yet though, so I pushed myself a few more steps and flipped backwards. I grabbed the front of Shouto's shirt as I fell, turning through the air and letting go, throwing Shouto towards Bakugo and Monoma with all my body weight. I watched Shouto's body soar sideways and slam into Bakugo and Monoma, who didn't move fast enough to properly catch him, sending all three to the ground.

I landed half a second later. Staring at the pile of boys, I lifted my head towards the sky. "Does it count as catching if they pad his landing?!" I yelled up at Mister Aizawa hopefully, because that had been the worst catch I'd ever seen.

"Yeah," Mister Aizawa confirmed, sounding very amused. "Now, Bakugo, get up here, it's your turn." Bakugo, at the bottom of the pile up, lifted his arm, middle-finger raised proudly. I coughed into my hand, amused and not surprised in the slightest.

The three boys all managed to untangle themselves after a minute, looking ruffled and dirty. I tried to hide my giggles when I noticed the dirt covering Bakugo's back, but based on the dirty look he tossed me, I wasn't very successful. As Bakugo propelled himself up the cliff with explosions, I turned to the two other boys.

"So… I think we need a better tactic than improvising," I suggested dryly, surveying Monoma try and straighten himself up vainly, while Shouto's hair was looking slightly pink in the middle and he appeared grumpy.

Monoma glared at me. "You Class A kids are just too stupid to think things through," he spat, trying to knock the soil off his pants. "Did you think it was funny, knocking me down?" he demanded.

I blinked in surprise at his passionate hostility. "Uh… no?" I answered, a bit put off. I was trying to be friendly, what was his problem?! "You and Bakugo didn't act, so I did. I _thought_ you'd both react in time to catch Shouto. Shows what I know." The last bit came out more sarcastic than I'd intended.

"The plan?" Shouto cut in expectantly, reminding me about the subject at hand. I shook my head, realizing I'd gotten off topic.

"Right, the plan," I said, looking up towards the cliff just in case Bakugo got shoved off suddenly as well. I fidgeted uncomfortably, not wanting to give out my own ideas first. "Uh, do either of you have a suggestion?" I asked, trying to redirect the focus of the conversation to someone else.

Monoma scoffed. "That's easy," he said cockily. "Todoroki and I can catch him, like we _all_ were taught in Hero Fundamentals, and _you_ can direct Bakugo's fall like before." His tone was mocking, he was far too smug… but his plan ran in line with what I was thinking. I nodded reluctantly.

Shouto simply shrugged. "Sounds good," he agreed easily, strolling towards the cliff with his hands in his pockets. I followed after him a moment later, preparing myself for yet another acrobatic stunt.

"Ohhoho! Does the overconfident Class A finally surrender to the far superior Class B?!" Monoma laughed creepily, arms spread. I stared at him in confusion. A chill ran up my spine at the odd light in his eyes, and I decided it would be better not to respond.

It wasn't a moment too soon, because a familiar voice called out, "Heads up!" just as I turned around. With that short notice, Bakugo came plummeting over the cliff backwards. I didn't doubt that he'd been shoved as well.

"FUCK!" Bakugo screamed as he fell. I bit back my smile, and darted forwards. I had a feeling this was going to be pretty repetitive.

* * *

We had already managed to successfully catch Bakugo, Monoma, and Todoroki. Standing between the boys, panting from all the flipping and running I'd been doing, I tried vainly to ignore the fact that I was next. Jumping off a cliff and hoping the boys would be able to organize themselves in time to catch me did not sound fun. At all.

Internally, I squirmed a bit at the thought. Although I acknowledged that I had _severe_ trust issues, no one could tell me that Bakugo, Monoma, and Shouto made a trustworthy group. I didn't think they'd be able to reliably work together long enough to catch me in the slightest.

"Kurosaki, your turn. Get on up here," Mister Aizawa droned, sounding every bit the bored lecturer he acted like at Yuuei. I knew better though. He was inwardly cackling with sadistic enjoyment, I just knew it.

With a sigh, I shuffled over to the cliff and started climbing up. It was difficult to find handholds, since the cliff face was very smooth, but I managed to slowly make my way up the cliff face. It took me a little over a minute to do so, and when I finally managed to squirm over the top of the cliff, tired and irate.

Mister Aizawa stared back at me blandly. "You took your time," he commented, and then turned around before I could say anything, strolling away from the cliff's edge.

I bit my lip, eyeing him anxiously. "So… this is going to be my second time getting shoved off a cliff in two days, huh?" I started, chatting to cover up my nervousness. "And by the same person. That has to be a record."

"Have you gotten a better handle on your quirk?" Mister Aizawa asked, still not turning around. I twitched, not liking that he wouldn't face me.

"A bit," I giggled nervously. "I know I can keep it from activating even after getting nailed in the ribs, anyways."

Mister Aizawa turned his head around. "Oh really? Then you should be fine," he uttered, and my eyes widened. Realizing what was coming, I tried to jump back and raise my arms, but Mister Aizawa was too quick. His foot nailed me in the stomach, and I went arching over the cliff's edge.

My scream was far more high pitched and girly than I would ever willingly admit. Screeching all the way down, I clenched my fists and tried to keep my quirk from activating. _Please no, please no, please no,_ I chanted internally, gathering all my willpower to keep myself from reacting.

The air got knocked out of me the moment I was caught. I twisted out of the set of arms wrapped around my back and legs, landing in the dirt on my knees. I inhaled deeply, hands shaking and mind in a frenzy. I was on the edge of an anxiety attack. Keeping myself still while falling off a cliff had been near impossible, and suppressing my quirk while doing so had been even worse. Facing actual danger without the protection of my quirk wasn't something I'd ever had to do before! I never wanted to experience it ever again.

"Congratulations," Mister Aizawa said dryly, slicing through my panic and catching my full attention. I focused on his voice, trying to make my shaking subside. "Todoroki was the only one who made any attempt to catch Kurosaki," Mister Aizawa continued. "Bakugo, Monoma, any explanations?"

Clenching fistfuls of my pants, I looked up over my shoulder to see Shouto watching me with visible concern. When I turned around, his expression flattened forcibly, and he turned away. I bit my lip and gazed at Bakugo and Monoma instead, who were stubbornly refusing to respond and attempting to make excuses respectively.

"Class A can clearly save themselves," Monoma tried to reason. "What could some poor Class B student do? Besides, Kurosaki is tiny, she only needed one person to catch her." Bakugo huffed and crossed his arms in the background, clearly in agreement.

Mister Aizawa looked unimpressed. "You all fail," he said bluntly. I froze, and then turned towards Monoma and Bakugo, seething. I had just gone through all that effort, all that panic, for _nothing?!_ Because those idiots couldn't pull themselves together for _one exercise?!_

People were going to _die_ tonight.

"Head back to your quarters, I'll wake you up early for kitchen duty in the morning," Mister Aizawa continued, turning around and vanishing behind the cliff's edge. "Better get some sleep, you'll need it."

I glared up at my sadist of a teacher, before whipping around towards Bakugo and Monoma. I pointed at Bakugo accusingly. "You know, for all the bragging you do, you'd think a little teamwork wouldn't be so difficult! Pull yourself together!" I demanded, and then pointed at Monoma before Bakugo could open his mouth to shout back at me. "And you! I don't know what my class has done to offend you so badly, but you need to get over it! Whatever punishments we face, you face, so you need to fix your attitude quick!" My face was heating up, but this time in anger, and I knew that one of my braids was becoming loose. I probably looked like a mess.

"Fuck off, Ichimi," Bakugo grumbled, but from his refusal to look at me, I could tell he didn't have a good response. He was probably feeling pretty ashamed right now, and I had a feeling that pressing him further wouldn't help matters. Hopefully his problems would be fixed by tomorrow.

Monoma was just staring at me in silence, looking both enraged and embarrassed all at once. His hands were opening and closing, like he wanted to strangle me but didn't know where to start.

I looked at them both, and when no other responses came, I spinned around and flounced off, making sure to raise my voice enough so they could hear my "hmph!" of disdain. It was a passive-aggressive, unnecessary move, and absolutely my cup of tea. Monoma let out a strangled noise in response, and I continued around the cliff, knowing (or hoping at least) that the slope would slough further along to the right.

As soon as I was far enough away however, my facade dropped, and I hung my head miserably. I had dishes, sleep-deprivation, hellish training and a ton of cooking on the agenda for tomorrow. This was going to be absolutely terrible.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **RA** _Here is your "more" :) Thanks!_

 **Moonacre** **BunBun** _(^-^)/" Hi! Glad you're enjoying the story! And tell your husband he's being loud and scaring Ichigo._

 **Prince** _Momo is the best, one of my favorite characters in the series. I wanted to write some girl-bonding time and give the other characters some spotlight. They probably did kill Mineta - Ichigo is apparently very easy to be protective over, I wonder why? And yeah, Ichigo is very traditional and modest, it's because she was raised by her grandmother. The same for her cooking. I thought it'd be sweet to mention some of the good times Ichigo shared with her grandmother. Mitsuki Asano isn't a bad person, after all, just old and in a bad situation. As for Tiger: BNHA people seem to have much higher durability than us normal people. And saying that Ichigo will probably have to fight with broken ribs one day, its good for her to practice now. He's really just watching out for her :)_

 **xenocanaan** _Here's "more!" And thanks, hope you enjoyed this chapter as well! I created a mini arc within the story, so the summer camp is going to last a bit longer. Ichigo really does get unlucky a lot. I swear, if this were a game, her "luck" stats would be in the negatives._

 **GreenDrkness** _Thank you :) Tiger is a true drill sergeant. And Ichigo is very greedy about food XD That and she doesn't want to have to oversee all the other students while cooking. Better to just hog her cooking to herself..._


	48. Episode 47: Work Together If You Can!

I woke up that morning miserable. It didn't head up from there. After the stress of the night before, I spent the entire night sleeping off and on, and when Ragdoll finally came into the girl's sleeping area to "wake me up", she found me already dressed and laying on my sleeping bag reading. My eyes were stinging with exhaustion, and I was sure if I looked in the mirror I'd seem half-dead.

"Cooking time, kitten!" Ragdoll whispered excitedly, leaning in and staring at me with unnaturally wide yellow eyes. I turned my head just enough to poke my head out from behind my book. Ragdoll giggled. "Well, aren't you a tired little kitten," she remarked.

I smiled bitterly, dogearing my page and rolling to my feet. "That obvious?" I asked good-humoredly, dropping my book onto my pillow. Harry Potter's final adventure would have to wait until later.

"You could pretend to be panda," Ragdoll laughed, and I sighed. Stretching my arms forward, I arched my spine until it cracked. "Ready to start your day?" Ragdoll whispered as I bent down to touch my toes.

"Yeah," I murmured back, padding across the floor to leave the room, carefully tip-toeing around the other sleeping girls towards the door. When I finally exited into the hall, I held the door open long enough for Ragdoll to slip out before quietly closing it. "Do I head to the dining area now?" I inquired, voice still soft.

Ragdoll bobbed her head cheerfully. "Yep!" she confirmed. "And Aizawa told me that he'd have a cup of coffee ready for you once you arrived. I think he said he didn't want you to burn down anything." I smiled affectionately, recognizing my mentor's sardonic attitude behind Ragdoll's cheerful relay. That certainly sounded like Mister Aizawa. Nodding my head in thanks, I turned around and shuffled down the hall, heading towards the dining area.

As soon as I stepped out of the building, I was smacked in the face with a burst of cold air. Goosebumps erupted along my exposed arms and legs, since I was wearing gym shorts and a t-shirt in preparation for training later today. I shivered, scanning the dark dining area for Mister Aizawa. I spotted him sitting at one of the picnic tables, already with the boys. Shouto, Bakugo, and Monoma all looked exhausted and sleep-mussed as well, so at least I wasn't alone.

I strolled over, lifting a hand in greeting. "Morning," I mumbled, dropping down to sit next to Mister Aizawa across from the boys. My mentor slid a styrofoam cup of coffee over to me immediately, and I eagerly picked the drink up, gulping down the bitter, burning hot liquid. I smiled wearily, feeling the heat pour down my throat. It really was way too cold right now.

Bakugo gave me a very grumpy once-over. "You look like hell, Ichimi," he commented insultingly. Still too sleepy to argue, I just nodded in agreement and sipped my coffee again. I knew I didn't have room to argue, anyways. Bakugo eyed me suspiciously at my lack of response, eyes flicking between me and my drink. "The fuck are you drinking anyways? You had a cup of it yesterday too, it smells awful."

"Coffee," I answered dreamily, sighing happily. I took another sip. "It's wonderful. Just watch, I'll be back to normal as soon as I finish this."

That caught Shouto's attention, and if I'd had the energy, I would've laughed at how ridiculous his hair looked, sticking up in different directions and mixing in the middle like bad tie-dye. "I've heard of coffee before," he muttered, staring at my drink. "It's a western drink."

"Yep. It's pure caffeine, works like a charm," I agreed happily, already feeling the drink start to take effect. "It's an acquired taste, but it's like a shot of pure energy. So worth it."

Bakugo lifted his eyes upward, refusing to make eye contact with me. "What's it taste like?" he demanded. I tilted my head at him curiously, relatively certain he wanted something. It took my sleepy mind a moment to put the pieces together, and then I grinned mischievously.

"Why? Wanna try it?" I asked teasingly, and when Bakugo jerked his head back down, hackles raised, I lifted my hands up in surrender. "It should be fine… Mister Aizawa? Is there enough?" I asked, deferring responsibility easily.

Mister Aizawa jerked his thumb over his shoulder, and I noticed the metal pot sitting over one of the open cook-fires. "Grab a cup from the shed, pour yourself some," he said. Bakugo frowned, clearly not knowing what shed was being mentioned, so I stood up.

"I'll get it," I said, looking between Shouto and Monoma. "Either of you want to try some?" I asked. Shouto bobbed his head quietly in confirmation, before returning to looking off in the distance.

Monoma eyed me suspiciously, like he didn't believe I was offering honestly. I continued to stare at him expectantly, and finally he nodded. "Yes," he said, "... please." From the way he uttered the words, you'd think they physically hurt him. As it was, I just turned around and walked over to the shed I'd spotted yesterday, hidden against the side of the building. Finding the plastic shed, I pulled open the doors. The shed was dark, and lined with shelves covered in cooking supplies and cutlery. I scanned it for any styrofoam cups, and as soon as I spotted what I was searching for, I grabbed three and slammed the doors shut again.

Rushing back to the dining area, my eyes widened when I saw Bakugo standing next to the table, holding the coffee pot. I walked up beside him, unstacking the cups and laying them down. I held my hand out. "I can pour that," I offered, reaching for the pot.

Bakugo lifted it out of my reach, baring his teeth at me. "I can fucking pour it myself," he insisted, sounding remarkably like a toddler seeking independence. He pushed me out of the way and filled his own cup up with coffee, before roughly dropped the pot on the table and storming off to a different picnic table. I watched him walk away, wondering how he'd react after trying to drink coffee black. I always added milk, and sometimes a bit of sugar.

Picking up the pot again, I carefully filled up Shouto's and Monoma's cups. "Here," I said, offering one to each of them. "You might want to add some milk or sugar, coffee can be pretty bitter." As I spoke, Bakugo made a loud hack behind me, and I heard him growl something unintelligible. My lips quirked upwards, realizing he must've just taken his first sip and proved my point. Perfect timing.

"Thanks," Shouto murmured, looking to Mister Aizawa, who gestured to a small bowl I hadn't noticed next to himself. Reaching in, I picked up several small cups of cream, and then I offered one to Shouto.

Monoma eyed me, and took a sip of his coffee black. His eyes widened and then he spat it back out immediately. I giggled, and Monoma glowered at me. "Oh, so the glorious Class A shows its merit again. Are you trying to make a fool of me?" He ranted, eyes once again taking on that creepy light. "You think you're so much better, hoarding away the cream and not offering any to some poor Class B student. How mighty you are-" I cut him off by shoving a handful of creamers into his face, nearly punching him in the forehead. I then dropped the creamers in his lap, huffing grumpily and stalking over to my seat beside Mister Aizawa. I continued to glare at Monoma over the rim of my cup as I drank, seething. Across the table, Shouto sipped his coffee peacefully, looking entirely undisturbed by Monoma and I's silent war.

Suddenly, Bakugo stomped back over to our table, snatching up a handful of creamers and dumping them into his coffee messily. He then picked up his drink and made a show of gulping it down, and I shook my head at his childishness. Bakugo slammed the empty cup down back on the table and grinned at me viciously. "It tastes like shit," he declared, staring me down. I decided not to comment on how much more aware he was acting, and that even if the coffee had burned his mouth (which was my guess about why he'd spit it out before) it had clearly woken him up.

"That's good, because I was the one that made it," Mister Aizawa interjected dryly, and Bakugo froze. I smirked at him, mouthing 'you're screwed' smugly. Hah hah, Bakugo was going to get himself killed by Mister Aizawa, and I wouldn't have to do a thing.

Looking very stubborn, Bakugo refused to acknowledge his mistake, marching over to his previous seat beside Monoma and dropping down heavily. This disturbed Monoma mid-sip and he nearly spilled his drink on himself. Monoma immediately rounded on Bakugo, and I leaned in eagerly, excited to see the two people I was most unhappy with pick a fight with each other.

Mister Aizawa interrupted before anything could start. "Once you all are done, you'll need to start cooking. You have about two hours to prep enough food for fifty people," he warned monotonously. My eyes widened, and I whipped my head around towards him. All my experience with cooking told me that wasn't near enough time. Surprisingly, Bakugo had the same reaction.

"Two hours for f-fifty people?!" I repeated, shocked. "What are we supposed to make?!" Unless they had premade, microwave meal packages, I couldn't conceive this working out at all.

Mister Aizawa shrugged, gesturing to his side. I suddenly noticed Pixie-bob, Mandalay, and Tiger stacking up ingredients on one of the picnic tables. "Whatever you can make with the available ingredients," he said, and I had another minor heart attack. They didn't have a recipe in mind?!

Ragdoll jumped up out of nowhere between Mister Aizawa and I, and I flinched at the sudden appearance. "You kittens better get to work!" she said. "If you don't finish before everyone arrives, then no one gets to eat, and you know what that means!" My eyes widened in horror, as I imagined how angry everyone would be, having to train all day on empty stomachs. They would blame us too. Ragdoll giggled at my visible terror. "Looks like you get it!" she laughed, dancing off to help the other Pussy Cats stack up the ingredients.

I scooped up my coffee, finished it off with one gulp, and then darted off towards the table full of ingredients. I scanned it frantically, ticking off the different items on my fingers. "Eggs, flour, vegetable oil, apples, strawberries, granola, milk, salt, potatoes… is there baking powder? Good, there is… that means I can make bread, waffles, pancakes-" I cut myself off, clapping my hands together excitedly. "That's it!"

"The hell is 'it', Ichimi? Stop muttering like fucking Deku," Bakugo commanded, standing across the ingredient table and running his own inventory.

I clapped my hands again, bouncing on my toes. Breakfast was salvageable! "We can make pancakes! They're a western food, quick to cook and prep. We can definitely make enough for fifty people in two hours, and we can use the fruits as sides!" I threw my hands up happily. "Perfect!"

Bakugo stared at me. "You're insane," he deadpanned. I bobbed my head along distractedly, counting up how many eggs there were and measuring how many I'd need for 150 pancakes. That way there'd be three for each person, that would be enough, right? We had about fifty eggs, and I'd need an egg per eight pancakes, so I'd have thirty-one eggs left over. Maybe I could scramble them? If there was enough time- "Ichimi, SHUT THE HELL UP!" Bakugo roared, slamming his hand on the table. I froze instantly, realizing I'd been thinking aloud.

"Sorry," I squeaked, covering my mouth with my hands. I hadn't realized I'd been ranting aloud. My cheeks heated up, and I ducked my head.

Bakugo visibly inhaled, like he was trying to restrain himself from yelling at me more. "Since you clearly have a recipe in mind, what the hell is it?" he demanded, spreading his arms towards the ingredients between us. "Before you go around planning everything, figure out what the fuck we need and how much. It'll make delegating easier."

I blinked in surprise at Bakugo's reasonable, intelligent suggestion, wondering if I'd misheard him. Then, I shook my head and refocused. "Okay," I said. "We'll make 150 pancakes, three per person. We'll need 19 eggs, 28 cups of flour, 65 and a half teaspoons of baking powder, 18 and three quarters a teaspoon of salt, the same for sugar, and-"

Bakugo held up his hand, cutting me off. "Wait for a fucking second, Ichimi, and let me grab the shit," he ordered, before turning around towards Monoma and Shouto, who were still at the picnic table with Mister Aizawa. "Are either of you dumbasses gonna help here?! Or are Ichimi and I the only ones fucking cooking?!" Bakugo shouted challengingly. Surprisingly, Monoma and Shouto reacted quickly, leaving their drinks on the table and heading over. Bakugo tapped his foot impatiently, and when both boys caught up, he started talking immediately. "Half n' Half, you have no fucking idea how to cook, so I'll give you the obvious shit. Get 19 eggs, and all the baking powder and flour you can find. Go stick it over there," he pointed at one of the empty tables, and then turned on Monoma. "You, dumbshit, are going to go to grab a bunch of bowls and spatulas from the shed Ichimi went to. It's that way," he pointed in the direction I'd headed earlier, and then rounded on me. "Anything else dumbshit needs to grab?" he asked, ignoring Monoma's darkening expression at his new nickname.

"Uh, if you can get a strainer and some pans or griddles, that'd be great, Monoma," I added timidly, taken aback by Bakugo's aggressive leadership.

"There you have it, pots, pans, spatulas and a strainer. Go, dumbshit," Bakugo declared, waving Monoma away. I shrugged at the blonde apologetically right before he spun around and marched off, looking very offended. Bakugo turned back to me. "Now, what else is necessary for your fucking pancakes?"

I shrunk inwards timidly at Bakugo's new zeal. "U-um… uh, 18 and three quarters a teaspoon of salt, same for sugar… 23 and a half cups of milk… and 56 and a quarter tablespoons of melted butter?" I sounded much more unsure than I was, making my answer sound more like a question.

"Fine. I'll measure out the salt, milk and sugar, you do melt the damn butter, Ichimi," Bakugo decided, turning around. I blinked a few times, still startled, before looking to Shouto in shock. Shouto avoided my eyes, continuing to count out his eggs, so I grabbed several sticks of butter and headed over to the cook-fires, only to realize Monoma hadn't returned yet.

The butter would have to wait.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, we were all left standing in a circle around our table of carefully measured out ingredients. Shouto had a suspicious smear of white powder along his cheek that I was trying desperately to ignore, and Monoma looked gravely aggrieved, glaring at Bakugo irately.

Bakugo, surveying our work, nodded approvingly. "Now that's over, the fuck do we do now?" he demanded. Shouto tossed the blonde a dark look, clearly upset.

I gulped. Letting Bakugo continue to take charge, while tempting, probably wasn't a good idea. Monoma and Shouto were looking really angry. I glanced to Mister Aizawa for reassurance, but he wasn't even watching, sitting at the same picnic table and watching the sunrise, sipping his coffee. "Right. So, uh," I took a deep breath. "Bakugo, can you crack the eggs and beat them? You'll need to add the butter and the milk and mix them in too," I explained nervously, deciding to step up and make orders directly. "And then… Shouto. I need you to take the strainer and put it in the bowl. You need to pour the flour through it, and then give it to Monoma once its full. Uh, use all the flour we have measured. Monoma, can you mix in the salt, sugar, and baking powder together? Then we'll combine the dry ingredients first, and then at the egg mix," I finished, nodding approvingly. "Yeah, that should work."

"Great," Bakugo said. "And what the fuck will you be doing?"

I pointed over my shoulder at the cook-fires, which were still unlit and unprepared. "I'll set up the griddles and light the fires, and then I'll help Shouto," I said. The temptation was too much, so I added sarcastically, "Sound good, Your Majesty?"

Bakugo narrowed his eyes. "Yes, it fucking does," he growled, before turning around and snatching the eggs up, along with a bowl.

I sighed in relief. "Okay. So, Shouto, use this bowl. I'll show you how to do it first, so you don't, ah…" I paused, and then waved in the general direction of his cheek. I wasn't sure if he knew already, and if he didn't I wasn't going to be the one to tell him.

Shouto stared at me blandly. "Get more flour on myself?" he filled in, and I nodded. "Okay," he agreed, unperturbed. I giggled, and then set the strainer up in the bowl.

* * *

I sat in front of my assigned griddle, flipping pancakes. Off to my side, I noticed Monoma having a very easy time cooking his own circles of dough. So easy a time, I was almost suspicious. There was no way Monoma hadn't worked in a kitchen before, I was sure.

"Hey, Monoma," I started, keeping my eyes focused on the cooking pancakes. "Where'd you learn to cook?" This was a good chance for me to try again, at befriending the hostile teen.

Monoma stayed silent for a moment, flipping his pancakes. "My sisters," he said finally. "I have three of them, and I'm the youngest."

My eyes widened in surprise. He had three siblings?! "Wow!" I commented, smiling happily. "That's really cool, you're so lucky! I wish I had siblings." I sighed wistfully at the end. Growing up an only child could be lonely sometimes, and there was never anyone to share your problems with. I envied people with big families that cared for each other.

"It's cool sometimes," Monoma said, transferring his finished batch onto a platter. "Having three older sisters is overwhelming though. I'm outnumbered three to one," his tone didn't fit his words, affectionate and warm. It was very unfamiliar, compared to my past experiences with the blonde.

I nodded along, adding my own batch to the platter. "Your home must be pretty crowded," I added humorously.

"Yeah," Monoma agreed, but he made no more attempts to respond. I shifted awkwardly, not knowing how to continue the conversation. As much as my interactive abilities had expanded over the past school-year, I still was no Ochako.

I opened my mouth to ask another question, when I noticed Shouto standing in front of the griddles holding a turner. Shouto, who we had already confirmed could barely tell the difference between sugar and salt. Shouto, who still had flour on his face from earlier. I held my free hand out desperately. "Wait, no!" I protested, glancing back to Monoma momentarily. "Monoma, I need you to cover for me," I begged.

Monoma side eyed me. "Oh, so once again Class B must cover for Class A?" he drawled, but he reached out and took the plastic turner from me regardless. "I'll take care of it," he said.

"Thanks, Monoma," I said gratefully, before running towards Shouto, who looked very angry and had Bakugo beside him, barking out instructions. I darted in between the two, smiling at Bakugo sunnily. "I'll take it from here, Bakago," I declared, deliberately turning my back on him and facing Shouto. I heard a low growl of "what the fuck ever" behind me, and my smile twitched.

Shouto glanced at me, holding the turner in his hand awkwardly and looking generally helpless. I sighed, reached out, and adjusted his grip on the turner. "Don't hold it so close to the front, you'll have a hard time flipping the pancakes," I instructed, gripping his elbow and forcing him to bend his arm. Spotting one of the pancakes that looked just about ready, I guided Shouto's hand forward. "You slip this under the side, and once the turner is under the pancake, you lift and flip it," I narrated my actions as I made them, and then released Shouto's arm. I clapped my hands together, grinning triumphantly. "That's about it! When you see the dough starting to bubble, and the edges are dry, the pancakes are ready." Shouto nodded, and scanned the various pancakes. Then, slowly, cautiously, he reached out to try himself. I watched his actions carefully, and when he successfully dropped the half-cooked pancake back on the griddle, albeit messily, I pumped my fist. "You got it!" I chirped.

Shouto looked away from the griddle for a moment. "You… enjoy this," he observed. "A lot." I blinked in surprise, shocked he was actually trying to start a conversation with me.

I bobbed my head, smiling a bit shyly. "Yeah," I confirmed, feeling the awkward tension in the air. "My, uh, grandmother taught me how. It was how we spent time together," I elaborated, shifting my weight backwards. I noticed one of the pancakes was ready, and pointed at it. "You should flip that one now," I advised.

Shouto flipped the pancake carefully. "That's… good," he said finally. "My sister normally cooks, she's very insistent that I stay out of the kitchen. She's paranoid about…" his voice dwindled off, but I got the general memo. He'd been permanently injured in a kitchen once before.

I giggled despite the morose memory, imagining Shouto getting forced out of the kitchen by his concerned sister. "She must care about you a lot," I said, and then brightened. "Y'know, Monoma has three older sisters. He was just telling me about it. His family is so huge!"

"I had two brothers and a sister," Shouto said quietly. "It's pretty uncommon, I guess."

I nodded and smiled, fidgeting nervously. I didn't know what else to say. "That must be cool," I responded. "I wish I had that many siblings." I decided not to comment on his use of the past tense.

"Yeah," Shouto agreed, flipping another pancake. "It was."

* * *

"There's the last of 'em," Bakugo grunted, lifting the last platter of pancakes onto the picnic table. There were three sets of steaming pancake platters stacked high, surrounded by bowls of fresh fruit and a very large canister of maple syrup. Bakugo walked over to stand beside Shouto, Monoma, and I, crossing his arms and nodding approvingly. We'd finished just in time.

I grinned, stretching my arms forward. "We did it!" I cheered, and then noted how the sunrise was almost over. "And just in time, too!" Shouto nodded in agreement, hands in his pockets, and I saw Monoma look away to hide a grin.

"You finished cooking just in time, kittens!" Ragdoll sang, dancing out of the building again. "Good for you, you passed your second trial!" I froze with the boys, caught off guard.

"The second trial?" I repeated, shocked. "But I thought this was a punishment!"

Mister Aizawa chuckled, finally turning away from the sunrise. He was grinning toothily. "You all were going fail the first trial no matter what," he said, and my mouth fell open. "The real test was if, even after a massive failure, you all could work together to achieve a task. Congrats," he said, pausing to sip his drink. "You passed your Cooperation Trial."

"The fuck are you talking about?!" Bakugo snarled, palms extended towards Mister Aizawa in a way that would've been a clenched fist for anyone else. "We could've slept in then, this whole shitstorm of a morning was unnecessary!"

Mister Aizawa's grin only widened. "It was a logical ruse," he said. I suppressed the urge to scream in rage.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

Quick question for all of you: How have I been doing with the canon-characters? Have they been pretty accurate? Do I need to start adjusting their behaviors?

 **Prince** _Bakugo is talented in many things... fighting, cussing, delinquency. Sadly, he's a social-dunce. And yes, Monoma needs to take a DEEP BREATH and meditate on his mistakes XD Hopefully, this chapter has added a little more to his character. There isn't a lot about him in canon, so I had to make some stuff up and add some depth. Hope it worked!_ _Also, about why they didn't help catch Ichigo: Bakugo and Monoma weren't paying attention XD Shouto is always good about keeping an eye on his surroundings, so he was ready, but Bakugo and Monoma just didn't want to admit they hadn't seen Ichigo get booted off. Monoma was actually sort of right though - Ichigo is so tiny, she really only needed one person to catch her._

 **xenocanaan** _Thank you, hope you enjoyed this chapter too! Ichigo is a very unlucky awkward duck. She no talky well. She probably would've thanked Shouto, but their relationship is still rocky after the final exams. Fortunately, as this chapter shows, they've been putting themselves back together. Their friendship will return to normal soon, maybe even improved a bit!_

 **EVA-Saiyajin** _Thank you, I hope the story continues to deliver well :) I have put a lot of thought into Ichigo's development as a character, along with her influence on the story line, so I'm glad you've appreciated the changes she's created. I've read a lot of stories which just repeat the canon storyline, and that's always frustrated me. I can't imagine inserting an entirely new person into a plot and not seeing any differences, y'know? Anyways, thank you, your comment means a lot to me!_


	49. Special: Aizawa Interlude!

When he first meets the tiny girl with the too long braids and too red cheeks, he thinks he's found another kid whose dreams he needs to crush. Despite Hizashi's constant need to tease him over "feeding on the souls of the despaired", Aizawa doesn't take any joy in ruining aspiring-heroes hopes for the future; he'd just prefer to be the one to say "no" over watching a villain kill them. Still, looking at this kids watery green eyes and shaking hands, he knows this one is going to hurt.

"You won't become a hero," he tells her, and means it. She'll be crushed, he thinks, if not by a villain than the publicity of being a hero. Every inch of this girl radiates shyness and timidity, and Aizawa doesn't see her making it past her first Sports Festival. He turns around, prepared to leave before the girl can burst into tears and make him feel even worse about rejecting her.

He is instead stopped by this: "Y-you didn't l-let m-me finish speaking!" Aizawa pauses and glances back at the tiny girl, whose fists are clenched at her sides and eyes shining with tears. Aizawa sighs to himself. Great, she's a brat.

"I don't have to," he says. "You aren't hero material." It's better to be blunt and get the message across quickly, Aizawa knows from experience. Drawing it out only gives them false hope.

The girl clenches her jaw and declares, "I th-think I am." She explains her quirk in detail, doing an excellent job promoting her own abilities. Despite her stutter, Aizawa can see her potential. Sure, she is shy, but in the end she still stands up to him, defending herself from an older, stronger individual for a future she wants. The girl is no prime hero candidate, and if he could pick whoever he desired, he certainly would prefer someone with more confidence and physical talent; but this girl is something he can work with. At the very least, she deserves a chance.

"I suppose not. You _do_ have potential," Aizawa says as menacingly as he can. He stalks forward, deciding to press her one more time. If she doesn't give up or bow out here, he will support her - until she proves herself unsuitable, that is. "You want to be a hero? Congratulations, consider yourself part of the program," he continues, intentionally looming over her. He meets her eyes and makes his stare as intense as possible. "My name is Shouta Aizawa, I'll be sponsoring your education."

For a moment, the girl stands there trembling, and Aizawa thinks she's going to surrender. Then, she bows in half, red scarf untangling from around her neck and brushing the floor. "Th-thank you f-for the opportunity, M-Mister Ai-Aizawa." She lifts her head, green eyes burning with determination. "I w-won't disappoint you!"

Aizawa watches the girl stride out of the room with thoughtful eyes. _Ichigo Kurosaki_ , he thinks, _will be someone worth watching in the future_.

* * *

The first few weeks of training are expectedly the hardest for Kurosaki. The tiny girl is pathetically thin, almost to the point of being unhealthy. Aizawa expresses his concerns to Recovery Girl the first week that his new student might be anorexic. In response, the old woman guides him into the cafeteria to watch Kurosaki stuff her face with rice and steak, raining praises down on Lunch Rush for his excellent cooking. Aizawa finds his concerns alleviated, but still keeps a careful eye on Kurosaki's weight. Fortunately, the tiny girl appears to gain pounds quickly over the course of her exposure to the cafeteria. Aizawa is almost suspicious of how thin she'd been at first, wondering if her parents had been even bothering to feed her, but he supposes that the reason she needed a scholarship in the first place (only the truly desperate would apply to a program with an acceptance rate below a one-thousandth of a percent) was money being tight.

Beyond her pathetically low weight, Kurosaki lacks any sort of previous training. The very first day of his improvised start-up program, Aizawa tells Kurosaki to go change, before leading her over to a line of heavy bags set up alongside the track-field. The tiny girl is still wearing her scarf despite the overbearingly hot weather, and her braids are looped over her shoulders casually. Although she wears a gym uniform, Aizawa can't help but think she looks anything but ready for training.

"Well," he says casually, not expecting much. "Show me what you can do." He gestures expectantly at the heavy bags and waits.

Kurosaki stares at him with wide eyes, looking for all the world like a deer caught in the headlights of oncoming traffic. "H-huh?" she questions breathily, bewildered by his request.

Aizawa gazes at her dully. "Go. Punch. The punching bag," he orders, reaching out with his own fist and tapping one of the bags. It sways back and forth beside him, but Aizawa keeps his eyes locked on his new student.

Kurosaki looks at him suspiciously, but tiptoes forward anyways. She casts him one more doubtful look before reaching out with her own little fist and tapping the heavy bag as well. It continues to swing silently back and forth on its chain, and Aizawa blinks slowly.

"That was not a punch," Aizawa informs her slowly. "I told you to punch it."

His student has the gall to stare blankly at him for several seconds before turning around and swinging her fist heavily into the heavy bag. Despite her twig thin arms, the bag's chain audibly clanks from the force of the blow, and Aizawa quickly breaks down how Kurosaki shifted all her weight into the punch. For her size and lack of training, that was an impressive haymaker. Sadly, wild ham-fists weren't what he wants to train. It looked like he was starting from the ground up. _Still…_ "Where'd you learn to throw a punch?" he asks.

Kurosaki laughs shakily, eyes squirreling around nervously. "O-Oh, w-well… where I g-grew up it was a b-bit of a s-safety h-hazard _not_ to know h-how to throw a p-punch… so m-my dad taught m-me how." Aizawa instantly catalogues the suspicious body-language and her unnecessary attention to detail. Kurosaki was a very poor liar, something they'd need to work on if she ever needed to speak to the media in the future.

"Huh," he answers, trying to sound as uninterested as possible. "Alright," he says, turning away from Kurosaki and taking note of how she instantly relaxed her shoulders. Yep, a horrible liar. "Well, it's clear you lack any professional training. Before we get started, I'll teach you the three basic punches and get you started with some rhythms." Aizawa pauses thoughtfully, trying to decide what activities will be the most efficient and helpful for his student. He only has four months to make her program-ready, after all. "We'll do some endurance running next, and then some stretching. After that we'll take a quick lunch break, and I'll introduce you to conditioning." Turning back to Kurosaki, he adds, "Think you're prepared?"

Kurosaki stares at him with wide eyes, and then gulps. She bobs her head anxiously. Aizawa continues to look at her impatiently until she squeaks, "Y-yes?" It's a little less confident than he was hoping for, but Aizawa supposes it'll do. Kurosaki seems to be at least a little weary of what she's getting into, which shows a good intuition.

Aizawa grins widely, and watches his new victim shudder. "Let's get started then," he declares, and sees the sweat drop roll down her cheek.

* * *

"M-Mister Aizawa," Kurosaki pants, jogging beside him after her third day of training. She's red-faced and sweating like crazy, and Aizawa feels tempted to order the girl to leave her scarf in the locker-room. In addition to her hair, she risks heat-exhaustion, but Aizawa runs a very strict "let-people-make-their-own-mistakes" policy. A lifetime of growing up around Hizashi and Nemuri has taught him that the best lessons are taught by experience, and Kurosaki will probably adjust her looks after her first fainting spell. The tiny girl stumbles for a moment, rushing to keep pace with him. "M-Mister Aizawa," she repeats. "What's in th-that mug you always c-carry around?"

Aizawa glances down at the girl struggling to keep up with him. He'd raised his pace only slightly from yesterday, and it appeared to be the perfect speed to push Kurosaki to her limits. "Coffee," he answers. "It's a Western drink, popular among the teachers at Yuuei."

Kurosaki looks up at him curiously. "W-why?" she asks.

Aizawa almost answers, _because we have to deal with little shits all day_ , but considering he's yet to hear Kurosaki cuss once, and that she is one of the aforementioned "little shits", decides not to spoil her innocent ears. "We get massive amounts of paperwork every day," he says instead. "It makes our lots in life just a little more tolerable."

"B-but you m-must enjoy teaching a lot, M-Mister Aizawa," Kurosaki protests. "After all, y-you agreed to train m-me d-despite everything!" Then, she grins at him, and shows off every single one of her teeth. Her flushed cheeks rise up and her eyes scrunch shut, and she smiles at him proudly.

"I guess," Aizawa grunts, picking up the pace, because obviously if Kurosaki can still talk they aren't going fast enough. (He tries to ignore the fact she looks at him like he hung the stars. He doesn't deserve the kid's hero-worship; not when he's still preparing to reject her if she isn't prepared for the hero course by the end of the summer.)

Kurosaki keeps up with him for another five minutes; Aizawa hears her footsteps become heavier, her breathing more hard, but writes it off as exhaustion. Suddenly he hears her footsteps stop. A very weak, "M-Mister… Aiza-zawa…" drags itself from Kurosaki's lungs, and he spins around just in time to see the tiny girl collapse like marionette with its strings cut.

It's pure instinct to catch her. Aizawa lifts her up immediately in one arm, the girl light as a feather compared to the heavy weights he's used to throwing around. With his free hand, he checks her forehead. Her cheek feels cool and clammy, but as soon as he slides his hand up to her forehead, the skin burn under his fingertips. As he suspected, it's heat exhaustion.

With a resigned sigh, Aizawa holds the girl against his chest comfortably and runs towards the main building speedily. Kurosaki is not the first - or last - student he's taught that's fainted from overexertion in hot weather, and Recovery Girl has never had a problem treating the problem. As a result, Aizawa is entirely calm as he runs his student to the nurses' office.

As he flies through the halls, Hizashi pokes his head out of his office and watches him blur by. "Where're you running off to, Aizawa?!" the blonde yells, but Aizawa is already gone. He has a student to watch over. (That evening, Aizawa assures Hizashi and Nemuri that he wasn't worried at all. He just knows that heat exhaustion needs to be treated quickly, and acted with the appropriate severity. He kicks Hizashi in the shin to make sure the message gets across, making the blonde spew his sake across the table, angering Nemuri. It's worth it.)

* * *

It turns out that Kurosaki is more stubborn than he expected. The next day, the girl shows up to the training field with her knotted so loosely around her neck that it dangles around her chest, jacket unzipped entirely, and her pants are rolled up above her knees. She grins at him happily, clearly very proud of herself. "Recovery Girl said I needed to keep my temperature down," she explains. "So I fixed my uniform!"

Aizawa is fairly convinced Recovery Girl was referring to the girl's scarf, not her gym uniform. Silently, he points her over to the track field, and when Kurosaki runs past him, he facepalms. Someone save him from stubborn, bullheaded teenagers. (He is not at all amused by her determination to wear the scarf. Not in the slightest.)

Kurosaki jogs down the track, black braids streaming along behind her, and Aizawa narrows his eyes. The braids are his next target for adjustment.

* * *

During their lunch break at the end of the first week, Nemuri and Hizashi drop in uninvited. The two pro heroes slide into the booth across from Kurosaki and himself, grinning like children who'd successfully stolen the last cookies. "Why hello, Aizawa!" Nemuri starts, pretending to look surprised. Aizawa isn't fooled in the slightest. "Nice to see you around here, you don't normally hang out around campus during the summer."

"Normally you escape the first chance you get," Hizashi adds. "Are you hanging about because of your new shadow?" he shifts his gaze to Kurosaki. "Must be pretty scary to keep you loitering about here."

Kurosaki blushes, shoulders curling in shyly. Aizawa isn't sure if it's because of the attention or Nemuri's costume. "M-Mister Aizawa is t-training me f-for the hero program th-this s-school year," she stutteringly explains, before Aizawa can order her not to tell them anything. "I-I'm a s-scholarship student."

Nemuri coos. "'Mister Aizawa'?" she repeats, leaning in until her breasts press against the table. Kurosaki's face visibly turns redder. "That's adorable."

" _Some_ people believe in showing their elders respect, Nemuri," Aizawa points out dully, heavily inferring that Nemuri is not one of those people. In response, Nemuri chuckles, not insulted in the slightest.

Hizashi ignores the shared insults entirely, focusing on Kurosaki. "The scholarship program, eh? That's impressive!" he congratulates. "Aizawa is actually a childhood friend of mine and Nemuri's - the lady next to me - so if you ever need help, feel free to ask us! My name's Hizashi Yamada, and she's Nemuri Kayama."

Kurosaki bobs her head, cheeks still flushed. "N-nice to meet you, Mister Y-Yamada, M-Miss Kayama. I'm Ichigo K-Kurosaki."

"Ichigo Kurosaki? Sounds like an anime character!" Nemuri says, and Kurosaki giggles nervously. "And please, Ichigo-chan, call me Miss Nemuri," she sticks her tongue out dramatically. "Miss Kayama makes me sound like an old woman, and as you can see," Nemuri stands up from the booth, hands behind her head to show off Midnight's costume's full glory. "I am anything but!"

Aizawa stares at both of his "friends" dully. "You're pushing thirty Nemuri," he says dryly, and ignores the way she gasps dramatically. "You're already out of your prime."

Nemuri slams her hands on the lunch table, outraged. Aizawa finds himself pulled into a drawn-out round of verbal sparring, while Hizashi and Kurosaki laugh in the background. Lunch ends later than it's supposed to, but Aizawa supposes he's glad to know his friends approve of his new student (even if he'll never, ever admit it).

* * *

Two weeks into their training, Aizawa decides that Kurosaki has had enough of beating up punching bags. He doesn't think there is much more the girl can learn from attacking an unmoving object, so he shifts their schedule: from now on, stretching will be done in the mornings, and sparring will be scheduled for before lunch. With his new executive decision made, Aizawa is also determined to scale up their stretching - Kurosaki has been having too easy of a time lately with their regular routine.

That morning, when Kurosaki finally arrives on the training field in her gym uniform just as the sun starts to rise, Aizawa stands over two foam mats with a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. Kurosaki shuffles over to him, covering her mouth as she yawns. "G-good morning, Mister Aizawa," she greets tiredly, still too sleepy to properly stutter. Aizawa makes a note of this, because if exhaustion interferes with her stutter than it's not natural, and can therefore be fixed.

"Kurosaki," he greets calmly. "I've changed our schedule. From now on, we stretch in the mornings and spar in the afternoons." Kurosaki jolts in surprise, sleepiness vanishing from her face as she looks at him with wide eyes. Aizawa ignores this, instead gesturing to the two mats at his feet. "You've been having an exceptionally easy time with our recent stretches, so I've decided to start you on yoga."

His student stares at him oddly. "Y-yoga?" she repeats incredulously. "Isn't th-that really s-simple though?"

Aizawa sighs at Kurosaki's ignorance. Clearly, she had never properly explored yoga poses. It's okay, he'll instill the fear in her now. "Some poses are simple," he agrees. "But I'll be starting you with advanced yoga instead." Laying his coffee on the ground, Aizawa decides to start with a simple set, stepping onto one of the mats. Lifting one foot off the ground, he grips his ankle with his same-side hand and extends his other arm forward. Leaning onto his toes, he stares at his student expectantly. "Well?" he asks, urging her to move.

With a harried head shake, Kurosaki bumbles forward onto the other mat, hurrying to match his positioning. When she finally manages to hold the pose for thirty seconds, Aizawa switches feet, and smirks when Kurosaki jumps at the sudden motion. When he's satisfied with her performance again, he bends down into a simple toe-touch. He catches the girl eyeing him suspiciously as she copies him; he waits patiently for his student to relax in the familiar stretch, and then shifts onto his knees.

"This is called the King Pigeon Pose," Aizawa prefaces, before folding over backwards so his shins and forearms can both lay flatly on the ground, upper body curving into the air. He leans his forehead back onto the mat comfortably, and listens to Kurosaki's strangled gagging sounds. When she makes no immediate move to copy him, he turns his head and stares at her blankly. "Your turn, Kurosaki," he orders, and then turns away to hide his wide grin and the utter terror in her eyes.

* * *

"Left, right, left," Aizawa calls, aiming punches at Kurosaki. The tiny girl is red-faced and gasping for air as she desperately weaves out of the way of his blows just as he shouts them. Their new sparring routine was going surprisingly well, so Aizawa decides he needs to spice it up a bit. "Duck!" he barks, and he catches Kurosaki's green eyes widening just before his leg whips around towards her head. His student drops down in a crouch just in time to avoid the kick, but his foot still manages to clip her shoulder, and she falls to her side. She lands right on top of her too heavy braids, and she immediately chokes out a cry of pain. Aizawa lowers his leg, ending the spar. "Not bad," he says. "Your reflexes have improved, but your actual dodging needs some work."

With a small moan of pain, Kurosaki pushes herself up into a sitting position, rubbing her lower back. She aims a short glare at her own hair, and Aizawa assumes that she'd managed to bruise herself on her own braids. Impressively stupid. He's tempted to make a comment, but Aizawa can already recognize the calculating look behind his student's eyes. Kurosaki would take action without a word from him, which is good - the tiny girl rarely takes initiative on her own, a bad quality for a aspiring hero.

"Get back up," he orders instead, tone clipped like that of a drill sergeant. "We'll run through another two rounds, and then you'll have your lunch break." With a rather sour look on her face, Kurosaki climbs to her feet, and Aizawa takes a boxing stance. Miserably, his student mirrors him, and Aizawa doesn't bother to hide his sadistic smile.

* * *

Aizawa leans up against the wall of the women's bathroom, the door open just enough so he can hear what's happening inside. A quick peek confirms his suspicions: Nemuri and Kurosaki are standing in-front of the large, wall-length mirror, while Nemuri teaches Kurosaki how to braid and pin her hair down so it stays beneath her jacket. Kurosaki is observing Nemuri's movements with hopeful, awe-filled eyes. Aizawa isn't entirely sure if he approves of his student's new idol-worship for the 18+ hero, but the gentle curve of Nemuri's lips as she helps Kurosaki pin her braids to her shirt makes Aizawa suspect this relationship might be beneficial for them both.

"Th-thank you s-so much, M-Miss N-Nemuri!" Kurosaki chirps happily, pulling her jacket on over her newly pinned braids. Aizawa finds himself smiling as Nemuri helps Kurosaki zip up her jacket; he quickly leaves the bathroom exit before either female can spot him.

* * *

Somehow, Hizashi and Nemuri have convinced him to visit a bar. Aizawa isn't sure how this occurred, since he's normally quite able at avoiding social situations, - especially ones involving drunk people - but he resigns himself to staying once Hizashi starts a tab. Aizawa will just make Hizashi pay for everything, it'll be a fitting punishment.

Sitting on one of the bar stools, stuck between a solidly-smashed Nemuri and a catching up Hizashi, Aizawa sips his Irish coffee and muses on what training he'll put Kurosaki through tomorrow. Her dodging really has improved, and Aizawa thinks she will be ready for the next level of sparring soon. They were just reaching the end of their first month together, and Aizawa was pleasantly surprised by how far they had gotten already. Maybe stepping up conditioning would -

"YO AISHAWA!" Hizashi wails in his ear, slinging a heavy arm over his shoulders. Aizawa barely manages to slam his mug on the counter before the blonde can knock it from his hands. "You're broodin' again! Wassup?!" Hizashi demands, voice slurred from one-too-many alcoholic beverages. Aizawa mentally upgrades him to "solidly-smashed" status as well.

Knowing that Hizashi won't lay off until he gets an answer, Aizawa irritably answers, "I'm planning Kurosaki's training for tomorrow." He tries to bat Hizashi's arm off his shoulders, but the blonde determinedly hangs on. Aizawa surrenders.

"You're really focushed on tha' girl, Aishawa," Hizashi comments, and Aizawa narrows his eyes. He isn't fixated, he's a dedicated teacher, and there was nothing wrong with that- "It'sa good thing, she idolishes you," the blonde pauses to laugh. "She prob'ly thinks you walk on water or shomething!"

Aizawa, who knows better than to argue with drunk idiots, nods in agreement and sips his drink. Nemuri pulls Hizashi into some inane argument, and Aizawa tries to avoid mulling on Hizashi's stupid comment. He already knows about Kurosaki's hero-worship, and he doesn't think he deserves it. Sadly, he can't think of any way to solve the issue without entirely crushing the girl's respect and/or image of him, so Aizawa supposes he'll just have to handle the problem later on.

* * *

"M-Mister Aizawa!" Kurosaki whines. "T-Tell Miss N-Nemuri I'm _not_ cute!" His student crosses her arms and puffs out her cheeks, green eyes shining with stubborness. Aizawa wonders how to peacefully break it to the girl that she was, in fact, adorable. Then he realizes how out of character such a comment would be, and sips his coffee to gather his wits. It's too early for this. He prepares a response mentally, but finds himself beaten to the punch when Kurosaki bounces up and down impatiently, face red. "Mister Aizawa, t-tell her! I'm not c-cute! I want t-to be creepy and v-vaguely threatening!"

Aizawa blinks at the oddly specific description. "What?" he questions blankly, confused.

Kurosaki blushes and ducks her head, twiddling her fingers together, and damnit Aizawa thought he'd broken that habit. Without a thought he leans in and swats her fingers apart with his non-coffee-bearing hand, barely catching the end of Kurosaki's mumbled sentence. ". _.. be like.. you…_ "

Beside him, Nemuri bursts out laughing, head fully thrown back and shoulders shaking. Aizawa glares at her darkly, before turning around and stalking away. He hasn't had enough coffee or sleep to deal with Nemuri's bullshit. He'll never have enough. As he walks away, he doesn't hear Nemuri lean in, laying a hand on Kurosaki's shoulder conspiratorially and whispering, "See, Ichigo-chan, if you want to be more like Aizawa you need to do a few things first…"

(The next morning, Aizawa catches a glimpse of Nemuri teaching Kurosaki how to put on black eyeshadow under her eyes. She looks like she hasn't gotten sleep once in her life, or she suddenly transformed into a panda-bear. Aizawa finds himself tempted to take a picture, but resists and walks off, clutching his coffee in his hand.)

* * *

Aizawa uses his forearm to block the kick Kurosaki aims at his side, quickly lashing back with a punch towards the girl's head. Kurosaki weaves under the blow, taking the chance to try and hit his ribs. Aizawa let's the punch land, moving at about half-gear to give Kurosaki a good spar. His student's incredible learning curve has been serving her well, and Aizawa thinks he might want to get her started on quirk-training soon to properly round her out before the school year begins.

Dropping down to the ground, Aizawa moves to sweep Kurosaki's feet out from under her. The girl jumps in time to avoid the blow, but is too slow when he follows the leg sweep with a tackle, pinning her to the ground. The hand-to-hand fight immediately switches into grappling, and Kurosaki struggles to avoid letting either of her arms get caught while escaping his grip. Unfortunately, she has less practice at this, and as Aizawa finishes the spar with a choke, he makes a mental note to make Kurosaki practice grappling more.

"Y-yield!" Kurosaki gasps, tapping his arm, and Aizawa smoothly relinquishes his choke, rolling to his feet. Kurosaki rubs her throat once, climbing to her feet as well. With a cough, she smiles at him weakly. "B-better than before, r-right?" she asks.

Aizawa considers it for a moment, then decides to respond. "You've improved greatly," he says finally. "Keep it up and you'll be prepared for the hero course in two months." Kurosaki grins at him ecstatically for the compliment, and Aizawa is forced to look away from the sheer joy on her face. "Your grappling isn't near as successful, we'll focus on that tomorrow," he continues, and her smile drops. "For now, go take your lunch break. I'm going to go check on something before I join you."

Kurosaki nods, relaxing her shoulders in relief. "A-alright," she agrees easily. "W-want me to ask M-Mister Lunch R-Rush t-to make you some c-coffee?" she inquires, turning towards the cafeteria.

"Yeah," Aizawa confirms, and then pauses, surprised by Kurosaki's show of thoughtfulness. "Thanks," he adds, before heading off for the teacher's lounge. (He isn't really surprised that Kurosaki acting considerate, however he hadn't realized she was paying attention to something so simple as his chosen drink. It was… nice.)

* * *

"HEEY LISTENER!" Hizashi yells proudly, arms spread and in full costume. His voice visibly bends back the trees, and from his spot behind the Pro Hero, Aizawa sees Kurosaki wince as she comes shuffling out of the bathroom. He sips his coffee to hide his amusement, ear plugs firmly fit into his ears. "GOOOOOD MORNING!"

Kurosaki grins forcibly, eye twitching in irritation. Aizawa grins. "G-good morning to you t-too, M-Mister H-Hizashi," she greets, clearly resisting the temptation to cover her ears.

"IT'S PRESENT MIC NOW, LISTENER," Hizashi corrects. "I'M IN COSTUME!" Aizawa nods in agreement when Kurosaki looks at him exasperatedly. He had forgotten to mention that policy to her: Heroes, when in costume, were required to be called by their "hero names." It had to do with protecting their identities - not all heroes wanted their civilian lives in view of the public eye.

"R-right then, good m-morning, M-Mister P-Present Mic," Kurosaki corrects, eye still twitching. "U-Uhm, w-why are you _h-here_?" she asks. It's a good question, Aizawa thinks, hiding his widening grin behind his coffee mug.

Hizashi's sunglasses glint as he points dramatically at Kurosaki. "GUESS WHO'S TRAINING YOU TODAY?" he yells, and Kurosaki shrivels like a withering plant. "ME, YEAAAH!"

Kurosaki looks at Aizawa accusingly, and the silent demand of "what have you _done_ " is so obvious that Aizawa decides to answer, if only to test how horrified Kurosaki's expression can become. "My quirk is simple, I stare at someone and focus. It requires practice to strengthen. Your quirk requires control and limits," Aizawa explains, nodding his head towards Hizashi. "Present Mic is the better suited to teach you."

"YEAAH!" Present Mic echoes in agreement, holding up two peace signs to the sky. "MEDITATION, HERE WE COME!" Kurosaki's face is positively tragic, and Aizawa has to suppress the urge to grin evilly as the other Pro Hero drags his new, unwilling student away.

Having an apprentice was fun. Why hadn't he done this sooner?

* * *

The week before school starts, Aizawa comes to Yuuei only to find out that Kurosaki arrived before him. Strolling out onto the training field, hands in his pockets, Aizawa observes the girl's stretching from a distance. Kurosaki is easily folding herself over backwards, thin and muscled arms extended as she slowly lowers herself backwards. Considering that she had barely been able to do five push-ups when they had begun, this display of control is impressive.

"Someone's early," Aizawa says dully, and then smirks when Kurosaki flinches, falling backwards and barely managing to recover to her feet in a roll.

Her eyes light up as soon as she sees him, cheeks flushed from her workout. "G-Good morning, M-Mister Aizawa!" she chirps. "I'm j-just s-super excited 'c-cause school starts in a w-week!" Kurosaki practically buzzes in excitement. "I have t-to work hard to d-deserve my p-place a-as a scholarship s-student!"

Aizawa feels something heavy on his shoulders - maybe its guilt. (He isn't sorry, really, it's just that she looks so _happy_ , he doesn't want break it to her.) "Actually, you've only been a scholarship _candidate_ this entire time," Aizawa reveals bluntly. "I just sent your papers to the agency for approval yesterday. Once they say yes, you'll be an actual scholarship student."

Kurosaki blinks in shock, and then her lips twist. She is instantly heartbroken, and Aizawa watches her transform from elated to devastated in seconds. "S-so you've been lying to me this whole t-time?" she says in defeat. She slumps down sadly. "What if th-they r-reject me? O-or if th-the paperwork d-doesn't get through in t-time?" Her hands shake, and Aizawa identifies the tremble immediately. There's a habit he _needs_ to break, it could cause some serious problems during combat.

Aizawa shoves his hands in his pockets casually. "The _reason_ you've remained a candidate this whole time is because I wanted to make sure that wasn't a possibility," he drawls. "Currently, I've got you more than above the standard for what a hero-in-training should be, and if you keep up your current growth pace, you'll be Pro-Hero standard by the end of the year." Kurosaki lifts her head, staring at him hopefully.

"S-so… you _w-want_ me as your student?" she asks, like a small child clinging to the myth of Santa Claus; all at once, she is far too hopeful and disbelieving.

Aizawa nods. "Once the paperwork inevitably gets approved, you will officially be my apprentice. Congratulations," he finishes dully. Kurosaki slowly, cautiously brightens, before she pauses for a second, face screwing up in confusion.

"B-but, wh-why didn't you t-tell the truth f-from the s-start?" she wonders. Aizawa thinks she makes an excellent point.

"It was a logical ruse," he answers. "I figured that if I told you that you were part of the program, you'd feel more confident." Aizawa doesn't feel the need to point out that he was very much right, either. Kurosaki stares at him long and hard, and Aizawa sighs. "You did good kid," he finishes. "Just… go celebrate or something." He waves his hand dismissively, turning away.

Kurosaki unfreezes, smile spreading back across her face. _Mister Aizawa was proud of her!_ She jumps into the air and executes a perfect backflip, landing with her hands extended towards the sky proudly. "Th-thank you, M-Mister Aizawa!" she cheers. "I w-won't d-disappoint you!"

Aizawa observes Kurosaki running around the track field, flipping and cartwheeling and walking on her hands until any normal person would vomit. The last time he'd heard that promise, he'd watched a skinny twig of a girl transform into a viable hero candidate faster than most considered humanly possible. He couldn't help but wonder how she'd fulfill her promise this time.

(Several months later, Ichigo Kurosaki stands in the middle of a crowded stadium on a podium and accepts a bronze medal with a smile on her face. She is undisturbed by millions of cheering, staring people, and when All Might finally hangs the award around her neck, she immediately turns around and congratulates her friend for beating her. She may not be in first place, but Aizawa has never been prouder of her.)

* * *

 **Mailbox/Explanation**

* * *

A/N Hey everybody! I know it's been almost three months since I've updated, and I wanted to apologize. I've been down for the count longer than I thought I would (I had my tonsils removed), and I haven't been able to get much writing done... plus, I kinda fell out of practice with my whole "writing routine". Because of that, I wanted to include this special chapter as my apology to you all, and please know that I will be back soon. This shows a bunch of scenes I wanted to fit into the story but never could, along with some special insight into Aizawa's thoughts on Ichigo, and her training that's been happening behind the scenes. Hope you all enjoyed it, and I promise I haven't forgotten about all of you!

 **ash20312** _I actually love this idea! I don't know if I can fit it into my current time-line for the story, but I will definitely make this into a special episode! Thank you so much for the awesome idea!_

 **Zixyms** _Okay, the fact that you asked for more Ichigo-Aizawa Interactions_ just _as I started writing this is a hilarious coincidence. I hope this helps add a little more to their relationship - although a lot of it is training based, that_ is _the center of their relationship as a teacher and student. You_ _can look forward to more of them outside of training in the future though! (Especially with the dorms.)_

 **18\. NekoMimi .27** _Thank you so much! Aizawa and Ichigo's relationship is super fun to write about - along with her relationship with the rest of 1-A - and I'm glad that you love her quirk, I put a lot of thought into developing it. Ichigo's backstory is very difficult, more than I ever originally intended actually, but I'm happy you find Ichigo's effort to grow beyond it inspiring, it means a lot to me! The truth will come out eventually, however it may not go as badly as one might expect. Ichigo has friends who are more than willing to pull strings to protect her now. Shouchigo does seem very popular XD I honestly never intended for there to be any ships in this story, so its hilarious to see people develop them without my help at all. Both of them_ are _very awkward, aren't they? I love writing them together, really, they both put themselves in the funniest situations. I think their relationship growing into something more is definitely a possibility; it really just depends on how Ichigo develops as a character! As for the AU... I'm working on it. I have a lot of it finished, actually, I'm just being nitpicky at this point._

 **Bergholt Stuttley Johnson** _Ichigo really couldn't have chosen a worse alias, right? Considering her hero name though (I mean, "Hime-Hime"?) I think its been proven she has an awful naming sense XD_

 **Guest** _Let it never be said that Bakugo or Monoma are mature individuals XD Yep! The world is ending! Pigs have flown, All Might is evil, and winter is coming. I'm glad you appreciate Monoma being the youngest child, I really felt like it explained so much of his behavior. And yeah, Aizawa is a dick and proud XD_

 **Salty** _Not sure if you ended up reading the special, but I absolutely agree with you: soulmates do not actually exist, and you can have a good relationship with plenty of people as long as you are willing to work for it. That's part of the moral of the special actually - soulmates aren't perfect fits, and to be happy with someone, you need to put in the effort. I'm glad to see you feel that way actually :) I find many people have really immature opinions on how love works, and I find it frustrating. A healthy relationship has a good foundation and takes effort to maintain. Regardless of your opinion on soulmates, I hope you enjoyed the rest of the story!_

 **Niceguymad** _Thank you! :) Hope you continue to enjoy the story!_

 **GreenDrkness** _I am back! I will keep on the writes! *determined* And yes, Aizawa is the best XD_

 **castielris** _Aizawa the Menace returns! *bows dramatically* Thank you, thank you._

 **Moonacre BunBun** _Isn't he though? XD_

 **Cassianaswindell123** _Wow... you have much to say. First of all, cookie for you, you are the third person to accurately predict Mitsuki's dementia. Koharu is a bit of a bitch, yeah, but I think her actions are also understandable. She feared losing her best and only friend to old age. Not that it justifies her actions, but I think they make sense, at least. XD Yeah, I think the name is why a lot of people drop this story, but I'm not going to change it, hmph! I tried to drop clues in the beginning about her alias, and I'm glad you picked up on them. I'm glad you stuck with the story too! As for how Mitotic Regeneration works, you are absolutely right: Ichigo could teleport if her body were destroyed. In fact, she probably would regardless of her intention, since people shed skin cells constantly. The real issue would be surviving the backlash of such an injury and recovery. I did some research when developing her quirk, and well... over-stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system can cause neurogenic shock, which can lead to bradycardia and a severe drop of BP. In short, Ichigo's heart would stop beating. :( But you are right! There is a thin line she must walk, and if Ichigo can find a way around the pain-barrier, the world is her oyster!_

 **Ririririn** _Thank you! I hope this chapter further healed your heart. I loved the coffee scene too XD It was nice to write some non-action team-building._

 **xenocanaan** _I like to think Ichigo is maturing over the story at a good pace. She wouldn't have been able to recover so easily at the beginning of the story, but after her experience with Izuku at the Sports' Festival, she's trying harder to forgive people and let things go. I will be adding a new chapter to the main storyline soon!_


	50. Episode 48: A House Divided!

The best thing about cooking is watching others enjoy what you make. That was my personal opinion, anyways. Sitting down between Izuku and Ochako, watching them scarf down pancakes, I smiled happily. Across the table, Tenya and Momo were gorging themselves as well, but in a slightly politer fashion.

"Thif if rea'y goo', I'han!" Ochako snarfed, mouth full and eyes bright. "Wa' 'ou fay isf wasf a'ain? Pa'akes?"

I giggled at how hard Ochako was to understand. "Pancakes, yes," I confirmed, bobbing my head happily. "I'm glad you're enjoying them, the boys and I had a very difficult time prepping them."

"The boys?" Momo repeated, looking amused. "You're using colloquialisms now?"

Ochako gasped dramatically. "Don't tell me… you're all becoming friends?!"

I crossed my arms defensively. "I'm not, but can you think of a better way to phrase it?" I asked. "I don't want to list off all their names. Shouto, Monoma, and Bakugo are all males under the age of eighteen. Boys," I emphasized. "I am female, and therefore the exception. I should therefore be referred to separately, in first person because I'm the speaker, as 'I' or 'me'. Therefore, it's 'the boys and I'."

Tenya pushed up his glasses, lenses flashing. "You are very defensive, Ichigo," he remarked matter-of-factly.

"Suspicious," Ochako echoed helpfully.

"No, not suspicious," I insisted, slamming my hands down on the table. "There is nothing suspicious."

Izuku nodded in agreement, looking a bit worried. "Maybe you should lay off, guys," he said. "Ichigo doesn't want to talk about it."

"That's because we're right," Ochako responded without hesitation. My brows contorted immediately, and I opened my mouth in preparation to make a scathing comment. I was interrupted by Pixie-bob marching into the middle of the dining area banging pans together loudly.

Bang! Bong! The metal rang with every clash, and I winced at the loud, painful sound. Pixie-bob, grinning, stopped in the center of the picnic tables. With a final, loud crack, she dropped the pans to the ground and spread her arms widely. "Alright everyone! Breakfast is officially over!" Pixie-bob declared proudly. "It is time to begin training!" With a loud groan, I dropped my head onto the table. Ochako pat my shoulder sympathetically, while Izuku offered me an apologetic smile in advance. I bit my lip and tried to keep from whining. I didn't want to get beat up again. "Now then, get going everyone!" Pixie-bob encouraged, and I pushed myself up from the bench slowly.

At least I didn't have to clean the dishes.

* * *

After training that day, Mister Aizawa once again called Shouto, Bakugo, Monoma and I off to the side for our third trial. He walked us out to an empty field in relative silence, and I lingered by Shouto's side nearly compulsively. The little scene was a little too similar to our walk before the trust falls, and I didn't like it at all. My body was unnaturally tense, and I knew that if I was looking at myself I'd recognize the squirrelling eyes and shaking hands of anxiety in an instant. Fortunately, I was walking out of Shouto's view, and neither Bakugo or Monoma were the most observant of people.

It was a remarkably short walk to our newest testing ground, an open clearing. I automatically observed how the grass had been carefully mowed, and a white square was painted in the center, filled with gigantic foam blocks. I frowned thoughtfully, trying to connect the seemingly unconnected objects.

Mister Aizawa turned around, hands in his pockets. "Your third trial is the Trial of Communication. It's pretty straightforward," he began, back to the pile of foam blocks and faraway desk.

Bakugo snorted. "Straightforward as the last two damn tests?" he asked bitingly, and I couldn't bring myself to criticize him. Honestly, I agreed with sentiment.

"No," Mister Aizawa disagreed, unperturbed. "The objective of this test is to prove you all are capable of working together efficiently using your words." I bit my lip, feeling remarkably like a child from his phrasing. "The four of you will need to build a structure using all the blocks behind me. One of you will be a builder, one will be the 'runner', one will design the building, and the last will observe the progress and make suggestions to improve. The building must look like what the designer draws for you to pass, and only the runner's headset can communicate with both of the others," Mister Aizawa paused, pulling out a familiar black watch. "Decide your roles amongst yourselves, I'll hand out the headsets and start the fifteen-minute timer when you're ready." Explanation finished, he slouched away.

I found myself doubting the straightforwardness of his assignment instinctively, but pressed on anyways. It wouldn't do for Bakugo to be the first one to speak. "Monoma can be the runner," I decided quickly, eager to get this over with. These trials seemed to have a way of going wrong. "And it might be easiest if Shouto is the observer."

"Why do I need to be the runner?" Monoma challenged. "Does the great Class A need peasants to do all the hard work?" I sighed, having expected that resistance. Unfortunately, I was beat to responding.

Bakugo crossed his arms. "It'd only make sense for you to do the fucking talking, dumbshit, since you love running your damn mouth so much," he answered scathingly, eyes daring Monoma to talk back. The other blonde seemed more than happy to take the bait, but he was interrupted.

"It'd make more sense for Ichigo to be the runner," Shouto suggested.

I bit my lip, nodding in agreement. I felt suddenly guilty for not considering that Monoma and Bakugo constantly talking would offer too many opportunities for fights. "You're right, it'll be better if I'm the runner," I correct. "Shouto can be the builder instead, and…" I paused, realizing my next words could be the start of a fight if I wasn't careful. "Bakugo should be the observer, he'll spot any mistakes we make fastest. Monoma can work as the designer."

Bakugo huffed, but didn't protest. Monoma nodded, expression smug. "I can draw excellently, blueprints will be no problem!" he declared.

"Keep it simple," I commanded. "We have a time lim it and a bunch of boxes, so nothing complex."

Monoma smirked. "Duh," he said shortly, and before he could say anything else I turned to Mister Aizawa.

"We're ready!" I called out, and Mister Aizawa turned around immediately. Monoma's mouth snapped shut, and I let out a relieved breath.

"So who's who?" Mister Aizawa asked, three headsets in hand.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm the runner, Bakago is the observer, Shouto is the builder, and Monoma is the designer," I rattled off, hoping none of them would protest. Mister Aizawa scanned of our faces closely, and then held out a headset to me. I glanced over to Bakugo's grumpy expression nervously as I reached out and took the headset quickly. Mister Aizawa then offered Monoma his headset, and he took it with a smirk. The last headset was handed to Bakugo, who snatched it away, eyes narrowed on me. He was going to take his job – criticizing the rest of us – very seriously, I could tell.

"Bakugo, Monoma, follow me," Mister Aizawa ordered, before pulling out a headset of his own. "I'll tell you all when the timer starts. Kurosaki, use the switch on the side of your headset to switch channels, clear?"

I pulled the headset over my ears, adjusting the mic. I nodded, smiling weakly, not excited about this new activity. I reached up to the sides of my headset and felt around for the switch. "Got it," I confirmed. Mister Aizawa nodded and then shuffled away into the woods, Bakugo and Monoma on his heels. I shifted from foot to foot, and then glanced to the side at Shouto, who seemed focused on counting the foam blocks. I took a deep breath, and then reached up and turned my mic off so the others wouldn't hear.

"So…" I said, wondering how to say 'sorry for ignoring you for the past month and a half '. Shouto glanced at me, eyes clearly questioning. I hesitated, the words getting stuck on my tongue. I opened my mouth, ready to speak, only to be cut off by a loud beep. I winced, reaching up and switching on my headset.

Mister Aizawa's voice came across, short and irritated. "Kurosaki, don't switch off your headset," he ordered. "The exercise starts now." I nodded, then realized he couldn't see me and flushed. Before I could speak, a beep signaled him disconnecting.

I saw Shouto staring at me curiously, and turned away to hide my reddened face. Taking a deep breath, I flipped the switch and tried to connect to one of the boys. "Hey," I started. "Who's this?"

"It's Monoma," Monoma answered immediately, sounding very smug. "I'm already almost finished designing the building. How's that for speed-drawing?" he asked.

I grinned, amused and exasperated despite myself at his ego. "Good job," I complimented, trying to keep our conversation smooth. "So, what do you have so far?"

"It's a square with a stack of blocks at each corner," Monoma described. "I kept it simple for you Class A kids."

I clarified, "So it's like a fortress with pillars around it?" Monoma hummed in confirmation, so I switched off my mic and looked over to the box where Shouto was waiting. The other teen barely glanced up at me from where he was stacking things. "Uh, so it's kinda like a fortress," I described, holding my hands up in a square shape. Shouto didn't even glance up from the foam block he was holding. "But there's, like, pillars at each of the corners. They're all the same heig-"

A sharp beep over the headset cut me off. I winced, reaching up and switching the headset on. "Monoma, what the heck-"

"OI! ICHIMI!" Bakugo screeched. "SWITCH TO MY CHANNEL!" I froze, surprised by the interruption, before flicking the switch over to Bakugo's channel timidly. Did he have to shout so loudly? Then again, his headset didn't communicate directly with Monoma's, so maybe he didn't think I could hear?

I adjusted my microphone nervously, ears still ringing. "Uh, Bakago? I can hear you, please don't yell into the mic," I requested politely.

"D'you think I'm a fucking idiot?" Bakago snorted, and I frowned unhappily. "I can listen in on your conversations, I damn well know you can fucking hear me. Why haven't you done a fucking inventory check!" Bakugo hissed.

I blinked in confusion. "Huh?" I asked.

"You don't start a recipe without gathering the damn ingredients! Do you expect them to read your fucking mind? Count how many shitty blocks you have and make dumbshit specify the measurements!" Bakugo ordered. My eyes widened at the shockingly helpful advice.

I was such an idiot! Why hadn't I thought of that in the first place?! We were barely even starting and I'd already made a stupid mistake. Plus, Bakago had been blatantly right about something, and I couldn't argue with him. I couldn't even say I hadn't been obviously, entirely stupid!

"Ichimi? Is there a fucking brain in there?" Bakugo barked, voice crackling over the headphones. I flinched, startled out of my own self-berating.

I shook my head to regain my bearings. "R-right, I'll do that," I said shakily, still caught off guard. "Thanks, Bakago," I finished, turning around and flicking off my mic. I looked to Shouto, who currently making a square base with the blocks. "Shouto, how many blocks are there?" I asked.

Shouto glanced back. "Sixty-five," he answered promptly. I clenched my jaw, realizing that Shouto had thought to count the blocks even though I hadn't. Could I be that out of it?

"Ok, thanks," I answered, reaching up and flipping over to Monoma's channel. "Hey, Monoma?" I asked. "Can you make out the measurements for your fortress? You have sixty-five blocks to work with."

Monoma scoffed. "Easy," he said. "Give me a second, I'll give them to you."

I nodded, forgetting again that Monoma couldn't see. "Alright," I agreed, flipping off my mic for a second and looking to Shouto. "Don't continue building yet, Monoma's going to make more exact measurements." Shouto bobbed his head, dropping the block he'd been holding. He stared out into the woods silently, while I awkwardly fidgeted and waited for Monoma to speak. Finally, I couldn't take the tense silence anymore. "So, uh, our next trial is either the 'understanding' or 'leadership' test, right? Do you have any guesses about which?"

Shouto glanced at me, and then immediately shifted his gaze back to the woods. "Not really," he answered. There was a long pause, where I scrambled to think of something to say, before Shouto added, "Knowing Mister Aizawa, the 'understanding' trial will be difficult." Based on the odd tone of his voice, I could tell he was taking mercy on my poor attempt at starting a conversation.

I could work with that. "Yeah," I said, relieved. "He's usually pretty mean… he'll probably make us all share our most embarrassing childhood experiences or something…" I laughed tinnily. "At least I'll a lot to talk about." Shouto nodded quietly in agreement, but didn't say anything else. I sighed, twiddling my thumbs together behind my back. "Listen, I wanted to say I'm so-"

"Finished," Monoma's voice broke through over the headset, and I jumped in surprise. I hurriedly reached up and switched my mic on.

"Great!" I said. "Uh, why don't we start with the height and width of the walls?" I asked, mentally lambasting Monoma's terrible timing.

Monoma scoffed. "Nice and simple for Class A, hm?" he quipped. "The walls are four by four, three blocks high." I looked to Shouto and dutifully recited the information, and then Monoma added, "The pillars at each corner are four blocks high."

"Got it," Shouto answered, strolling over to the foam blocks and getting to work. I watched him get started carefully, wanting to make sure there wouldn't be any need for rebuilding. We only had about ten minutes left, and I suspected this would be the longest part of the exercise. Each cube was about two feet high, but fortunately Shouto was tall enough to stack them. If I'd been the builder, I would've been stuck jumping up and down for anything higher than two blocks tall - not to mention that the cubes were half as tall as I was.

Just as Shouto was beginning to stack up the pillars, a familiar, sharp beep sounded through the headset. I reached up and quickly switched over to Bakugo's channel. "Bakago? What is it?" I asked.

"Tell dumbshit he needs to find a place for an extra block," Bakugo commanded. "He's only used sixty-four in his stupid little design, and now there's an extra."

"Really?" I said incredulously, doing a mental tally. Four times four times three equals forty-eight plus sixteen for the pillars… yep, that was sixty-four. But I hadn't bothered to notice because… "Bakugo, do we really need to use all the blocks?" I wondered. "I don't remember Mister Aizawa saying it, so one extra should be fine."

Bakugo huffed. "Originally, he said that we'd need to use a structure using 'all' the blocks. Knowing that asshole, one word is more than enough for him to fuck us over," he explained.

Despite the crude phrasing, I agreed, especially after our rigged first trial. "You're right, I'll tell Monoma," I said, switching over to the aforementioned blonde's channel. "Hey, Monoma? We have an extra block, and Mister Aizawa might use semantics to fail us for it," I said, deciding not to mention that it was Bakugo's idea. I had a feeling that would run over well. "Think you can make one of the pillars a block taller or something?" I asked.

"No!" Monoma protested. "That would look stupid, absolutely not. There's an aesthetic here, Kurosaki, castles don't randomly have one taller tower. I'll fix it, give me a second," he said, and I could hear him mumble things under his breath as he presumably adjusted his design. I smiled in amusement at Monoma's phrasing. An "aesthetic", huh? I hadn't been expecting that from him… but then again, I hadn't expected him to know how to cook either.

Shouto, having apparently been listening into my conversations with the other two boys, was standing in front of his finished structure with the final block in hand. I smiled at him awkwardly, waiting for Monoma to finish mumbling and deliver instructions.  
Finally, he finished. "Done," Monoma declared. "Now, I don't want this to get to complicated for you-" I silently rolled my eyes here. "-so I'll explain this in detail. Tell Todoroki to pick on of the sides and remove one of the middle blocks from the top row."

I switched off my mic for a moment. "Monoma is feeling superior, so this is coming in step by step," I prefaced. "Shouto, can you take off one of the top middle blocks?"

Shouto's expression shifted just barely into one of amusement, barely discernible from his usual deadpan. "Yeah," he confirmed, reaching up and easily grabbing one of the top blocks. (I suppressed the surge of jealousy at how easily he reached them. Damn tall people.)

I flipped the mic back on. "Did it," I said.

"Okay, now take the other middle blocks and stick it in the center of the gap," Monoma instructed. "The gaps on both side should be even." I nodded, and dutifully repeated Monoma's words to Shouto. "Now, take the two left over blocks and stack them on top of the gaps."

I bit my lip, glancing at Shouto nervously. He wouldn't be able to reach that high, would he? "Hey, Shouto? You might want to use some ice and make a stepping block," I suggested. "Monoma wants the two left over blocks stacked over each gap."

"It'll make the front of the castle stylized," Monoma insisted, and I coughed to cover my aborted laughter.

Shouto looked up, clearly measuring the height for himself, before shrugging. The familiar crackle of ice filled the air, and then Shouto was several feet higher in the air than he'd been before, putting the last two blocks in their places. While Shouto dropped to the ground and reached out to start melting his icy step-stool, I grinned happily.

"We're done!" I announced excitedly.

"You finished with five minutes and thirty-six seconds left on the clock." I spun around, startled to see Mister Aizawa standing behind me with his black remote in hand. "Bakugo, Monoma, return to the build-site," he said, speaking into his own headset, before holding a hand out to me. "You won't be needing that anymore, Kurosaki," he said, and I gladly handing over the headset, happy the entire trial was over.

A few minutes later, and all of us were standing in a line in front of Mister Aizawa, watching him compare our finished fortress to Monoma's drawing. I wrung my hands nervously, waiting with anticipation. We had done well, right?

"A bit rushed…" Mister Aizawa startled, and I held my breath, hoping we weren't about to fail. "But well done. You all pass."

A beatific grin spread across my face, and I bounced on my toes excitedly. "Yes!" I cheered. "Thank goodness, I was so worried." I spun around happily, wondering if I could get away with a cartwheel.

Bakugo crossed his arms. "The hell were you nervous for?" he growled. "This was easy as shit, no wonder we fucking passed."

"The other tests were easy as well," Mister Aizawa interrupted monotonously, and I froze. "Do any of you know why you were able to complete this test so much easier than the others?"

I paused, and a tense silence spread across the clearing. Why had this test been so easy, when the others had seemed so hard? Mister Aizawa was right, although the trust fall had been scaled up, it was still simple. Cooking hadn't been all that hard either. Why had they both seemed so much more difficult then? Maybe we'd worked together better? Teamwork? But there was no way the answer was so obvious, that had been the objective in the first place! There had to be a better answer...

Mister Aizawa scanned the four of us dully. "No answer?" he questioned. "Then here's your fourth trial, it ends at this time tomorrow." Mister Aizawa lifted up his device and revealed the display, with a twenty-four hour countdown. "I want each of you to do a complete analysis of each other's abilities, and figure out what changed from yesterday to today," he declared, and then his face spread in a familiar, cheshire-cat grin. "Your Trial of Understanding starts now!"

I blinked, and then frowned. Shouto had been right, the Trial of Understanding was going to be very difficult. Very difficult indeed. An in-depth analysis of everyone?

Seemingly amused by our consternation, Mister Aizawa turned around and started strolling back towards the camp. "You're more than welcome to work together or alone, but I expect you all to have different answers tomorrow. You can head back whenever you'd like as well," he said, vanishing into the woods.

Bakugo, with an irate "tch!", marched off along behind our teacher. Monoma, who was also visibly vexed, left a moment later as well.

Realizing that everyone was going to start leaving now, I faced Shouto, knowing this was my last chance to apologize before everyone left. "Sh-Shouto?" I called, cursing my stutter. Shouto paused at the mention of his name, so I stared at my feet as I rushed out, "Listen, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry f-for ignoring you before, I know I s-said I'd be mature ab-bout the whole 'final exam' thing, but I really d-don't think I was and—"

"Ichigo." My mouth snapped shut, and I lifted my head timidly. Shouto was… smiling? It wasn't a grin or anything, but the corners of his mouth were upturned just so that it clearly differed from his normally flat expression. "I get it. It's fine."

I grinned, relieved. "Great! Good! Okay! So things can return to normal now!" I cheered, running up to Shouto's side with a bounce in my step. "That's awesome because things have been super awkward lately, I'm really sorry about that—"

"Ichigo, it's fine," Shouto repeated, trailing after Bakugo and Monoma.

I nodded, cheeks reddening. "Right, sorry — wait, no!" I cut myself off from apologizing again. Burying my face in my hands, I thought I might've heard a low chuckle, but I was too busy trying to regain my composure to notice.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **sousie** _Yeah, Ichigo has never had good luck, it makes sense she'd faint on her first day as well._

 **The Independent Variable** _Thank you :)_

 **castielris** _I shall do my best not to fall ill again! I'm glad to be back as well, I've missed writing :) Aizawa is Dadzawa, he just hides it under layers of sarcasm and sadism. Ichigo was pretty cute when she stuttered, right? It took all the edge of her sarcastic comments (wonder where she learned that from). Glad you liked the interlude!_

 **18\. NekoMimi .27** _Thank you for that, I'm happy to be feeling better as well! Everyone really seems to like seeing things from Aizawa's POV, I think I might do some other interludes as well later on for fun. Aizawa in this story is just stealth Dadzawa. Sadly, I don't think Ichigo will ever fulfill her dream of being creepy or vaguely threatening. She's just too small and cute. Mic and Midnight will continue to appear in the story,_ **especially** _Midnight, so look forward to it!_ _Speaking of the Shouchigo shippers - think this chapter added to that? At that very least, Ichigo and Shouto are friends again, which is what really matters. I laughed the entire time at Ichigo's attempts to apologize, they really are awkward to the point of comedy. More "cute drama" on the way soon! Although, Part 2 isn't looking too cute at the moment... On the bright side, I am now firmly back to updating every Monday!_

 **GreenDrkness** _Ichigo has always had a lot of bravery inside her, its just that Aizawa's teaching gives her the confidence to finally use it. It's scenes like those that give a glimpse into how I envision Hime-Hime finally becoming. And yes, Ichigo was still living on the streets and getting her only meals from Lunch Rush - that's why she was so skinny and ate so much given every opportunity. Free food!_

 **Guest** _You can pick favorites, I don't mind. XD_

 **xenocanaan** _I enjoy making meme references in my stories now. I thought that suited her XD I'm not sure if Aizawa discovered his sadistic streak from teaching Ichigo, or if she just enabled him to worsen it. Nothing like having a loyal minion to torture! I'm glad you appreciated Aizawa's POV. I had actually originally intended for THIS to be the start of the story, but I changed my mind before I started posting. I think it had more weight here and now, since everyone has had time to get attached to Ichigo._


	51. Episode 49: Exercises In Understanding!

I sat on my sleeping bag still in my gym clothes, staring at the blank sheet of notebook paper laying before me on the floor. I tapped my pencil against my cheek, chin propped up on my knee. I couldn't think of anything to write: how would I organize the information? By day? By test? What information would I write about at all? Narrowing my eyes at the paper, I bit my lip thoughtfully.

I could easily identify changes between the tests, so that would be the simplest chronological organization. The first was terrible, the second was okay-ish, the third was efficient. I scrawled a quick "test 1" through "test 3" across the bottom of the paper. Then, I shrugged and wrote each of my team-members names down the side. Tracing out dividing lines, I decided that I had a nice, simple graph to fill out.

Now if only I actually had any comments to make.

"Whatever," I mumbled in defeat, throwing my hands into the air and falling backwards onto my sleeping bag. What had changed for each of us? We'd all become more cooperative, I guessed, but what made each of us unique? Normally, analysis came easy to me, but I felt so mentally and physically exhausted after my long day of training and trials that nothing came to mind. My brain was a blank slate at the moment.

Ochako, having already unpacked her toiletries and changed into her pajamas, looked up at me. She frowned. "Icchan, why aren't you getting ready for bed?" she asked.

"Sleep is penance for weak souls," I muttered bitterly, shutting my eyes and continuing to futilely brainstorm.

"Icchan," Ochako said with false patience. "Go put your pajamas on and brush your teeth."

I opened my eyes, turning my head just enough to stare at Ochako with pleading eyes. "But Ochachan," I begged. "I need to analyze the changes in Monoma's, Bakago's, Shouto's and my behavior before tomorrow evening. And I can't think of anything!"

"Well maybe after a full night's sleep you'll be able to think properly," Ochako reasoned.

I blinked, then stared at her for several long seconds. I rolled to my feet, snatching up my backpack. "You may have a point," I agreed begrudgingly, not missing Ochako rolling her eyes and sighing in response. Too tired to argue, I shuffled off towards the bedroom, prepared to get some sleep and think in the morning.

* * *

It wasn't until the next morning that I realized to create the best analysis possible, I'd need assistance. Sitting at the picnic table waiting for Ochako to grab breakfast for us both, I knew just who to call. Spotting said boy from the corner of my eye, I leaned back and waved my arms around wildly. "Izukun! Over here!" I called, and Izuku immediately glanced over. His eyes widened for a moment at my frantic movements, before scurrying over.

He sat down next to me and quickly asked, "What's wrong?"

I slapped my empty graph down. "I need to complete an analysis of the changes in all four of our behaviors over the course of the past three trials," I prefaced. "If I can give you a summary of each test, can you help? I need this done by this evening."

Izuku scanned the paper, and then looked towards me with a wide grin. "Of course!" he agreed, holding up his clenched fist. "Let's do this, Ichigo!"

I smiled happily, eager to have a partner in this. Izuku and I always worked best together. "Great!" I chirped, offering Izuku his own pencil. "Then let's start with the first test! So, it was like an upscaled trust fall…" As I explained the first trial to Izuku in detail, second by second, Ochako returned. When she noticed Izuku and I mumbling together, huddled over a sheet of paper, she let out an aggrieved sigh and glanced over her shoulder at Tenya. The two shared a nod of agreement, and then, dropping off the extra plates they'd grabbed for the both of us on the table, sat as far from us on the same bench as possible. Neither Izuku or I noticed, although I did unconsciously grab an apple, not questioning its origin.

"It sounds like Monoma became more cooperative from the first to second test, and maintained that through the third," Izuku said, making notes on the chart. "Kacchan took a step forward in leadership during the second trial, and then a step back for the third."

I crunched on my apple. "Shouto became more cooperative during the second," I pointed out. "But I think that's just 'cause we failed the first so badly. And he didn't know how to cook." As I spoke, Izuku scrawled away on the paper, nodding his head.

"Ichigo spoke up in the second trial," a new voice suddenly added from behind. Both Izuku and I flinched, spinning around to see Shouto holding his own breakfast plate. He nodded his head politely, stepping around the table to sit across from Izuku and I. "It's part of why the last two trials succeeded," Shouto continued.

I flushed, looking off to the side shyly. "I doubt I was a large factor," I excused. "I think the biggest part was everyone becoming willing to cooperate."

Izuku glanced from me to Shouto, and then narrowed his eyes. He muttered something, and then look to Shouto. "Shouto, why don't you give me your account of the three trials?" he suggested. "Ichigo has already given me a description of each trial, but maybe your observations of everyone can help."

"Getting two perspectives is a good idea," I agreed, bobbing my head happily, eager for the new distraction.

Shouto didn't hesitate. "Alright," he agreed easily. As he began his description, which was short and to the point (unlike my rather long and wordy narrative earlier), both Tenya and Ochako left the table to clean up, stealing my and Izuku's nearly untouched plates as they left. Izuku and I didn't even look up.

When Shouto finished his recall of the events during each trial, Izuku nodded. "I would agree, it looks like Ichigo smoothed communications between everyone in the second and third trial," he said, scrawling away on the paper.

I huffed, trying to hide how my face heated up at the (in my mind, undeserved) compliment. "W-well, thanks, I guess," I said. "B-but more importantly, what ties it all together? Monoma became less abrasive, Bakugo took a step back, Shouto was more cooperative, and I helped everyone talk, but Mister Aizawa suggested there was an overarching theme that was responsible for our improvement." As I spoke, I realized that the more uncomfortable I got, the more eloquent I became. I made a mental note to reflect on that later, Mister Aizawa always said I had too many tells.

Izuku hummed thoughtfully. "I would say that you simply improved your teamwork," he began. "But that seems to simple."

"That's what I thought!" I agreed emphatically. "So, if it's not just that, then what? Because Shouto and Bakugo didn't improve communication-wise, and my willingness to cooperate didn't change…" my voice dwindled off thoughtfully. As I stared off into the distance, watching the others clean, I spotted a familiar head of spiky blonde hair. I perked up. "I know! Izuku, can I see the chart? I want to get Bakago's opinion," I declared.

Izuku glanced at me nervously. "Uh, okay," he said. "But... please don't hand it over to him." I nodded in agreement, snatching up the chart and running off towards the sinks, where Bakugo was dropping off his own dirty plate.

"Hey! Bakago!" I called.

Bakugo glanced over his shoulder down at me, eyes narrowed. "What?" he growled.

I held up my chart, babbling, "Izuku and I have been trying to figure out the commonality between the changes in all of our behaviors over the course of the trials but we haven't had any success in finding an overarching theme. We've determined individual changes, but I was wondering if you could maybe offer a different perspective on-"

"Ichimi," Bakugo cut me off, eyebrow twitching. I flinched, wondering why his voice sounded almost sweet. It was the same sort of tone Ochako would adopt right before she chewed someone's head off for bumping into me on the street. "You're overthinking it."

I stared at Bakugo blankly, and then my head slowly tipped sideways. "... Huh?"

"We improved our fucking teamwork, Ichimi," Bakugo grunted, spinning around and marching off towards the training fields. "That's it!"

I stood there for a moment, stunned. Izuku and I had overanalyzed everything? That was… extremely plausible, actually. Slowly, I turned to stare at the chart hanging in my grip. Both Izuku and my extremely small, messy scrawls covered the paper, overlapping until one could barely tell if the paper was white or grey. I blinked. "Oh."

* * *

After training with Izuku in the afternoon, Bakugo, Monoma, Shouto and I decided to spend our break time reviewing what information we'd gotten. It had taken a little convincing on Bakugo and Monoma's parts, but eventually we all were gathered in one of the empty classrooms in the main building. I'd already copied the graph Izuku and I had made earlier onto one of the whiteboards in a slightly neater fashion, still brainstorming information to add.

Bakugo huffed, legs resting atop his desk and tilting his chair back. "I don't see the fucking point of this," he said. "We already have the damn info, what's a shitty meeting going to do?"

"Mister Aizawa had requested a full analysis," I answered importantly, glancing away from the board to stare at Bakugo stonily. "Which means he wants individual strengths, weaknesses, and changes we've undergone in the least." I wrinkled my nose, turning back to the board. Knowing Mister Aizawa, even more would be necessary if I really wanted to impress him. Which I did. Always.

"Easy," Bakugo snarked. "Everyone shut up and I took charge. Done." I tossed him a skeptic look before returning to my thoughts.

Monoma glared at Bakugo. "Actually, I think I contributed the most," he argued. "You Class A kids can't cooperate to save your lives!"

"Hah?" Bakugo narrowed his eyes back at Monoma, and the two shared an intense stare off. My eyebrow twitched. "The fuck are you talking about dumbshi-"

I whirled around, deciding to stop this before the two could start fighting. "Will you both pay attention?!" I snapped, stomping my foot.

The two blondes stared at me for a long pause. Then, Bakugo smirked. "Did you just stomp for your foot, Ichimi? Fucking seriously?" he pointed out.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms defensively and looking away to hide my flushing cheeks. "That isn't important," I said. "You guys need to pay attention. I've mapped out everybody's changes, but we need the strengths and weaknesses for everyone for this evening."

Bakugo jerked his thumb at Monoma. "He's socially awkward," he accused.

"Everyone in this room counts as socially awkward," I deadpanned, before shrugging. "But I guess Bakago is right, Monoma is overly abrasive." Uncapping the EXPO marker, I scrawled 'abrasive' under the weakness(es) column for Monoma.

Monoma squawked. "I'm not abrasive!" he protested, slamming one hand on his desk and pointing at Bakugo. "He's abrasive! And confrontational!"

I bobbed my head in agreement immediately, writing both "abrasive" and "confrontational" under Bakugo's weaknesses. This was going very well, already two down! "Okay, now to figure out mine and Shouto's weaknesses," I decided, ignoring Bakugo's sputter behind me. I needed to keep the ball rolling if I didn't want them yelling at each other.

"Half n' Half Bastard's too fucking quiet," Bakugo pointed out immediately. I looked to Shouto questioningly, hidden in his seat in the back.

Shouto shifted awkwardly in his seat, looking away. "I don't communicate well," he said finally.

"I just fucking said that," Bakugo insisted angrily. I ignored him, and he glared at both Shouto and I in turns. I firmly turned my back, instead focusing on my final task: listing my weaknesses. Oh, where to start? I lack any powerful offensive abilities, I'm indecisive and passive more often that not, and I'm too late when I finally pull my shit together. I felt tempted to just write 'sucks at life' under my own name, but decided against it. I didn't want to have to explain my choice. Finally, I simply wrote: indecisive. I didn't bother to say anything further.

There was a long, awkward pause, and then Monoma said, "... so, strengths?"

I sighed in relief. Strengths I could work with much better. "Sounds good," I said, already gathering my thoughts. I could give out compliments to everyone all day, it was much harder for me to point out their weak-points.

First, Bakago. Bakago was tactical and confident, and although that sometimes transitioned into cockiness, he was undeniably talented. Shouto was less vocal in his confidence, but he still radiated an air of surety, which in combination with his displays of efficiency made him an excellent combatant; in time, I was convinced he'd be a wonderful teammate as well. Lastly, I finished up Monoma's box. Despite his need to over-inflate his own greatness, he was very capable, and his near-constant annoying quality of spouting self-accolades did a great job defusing tension as well. As for me… well, I hadn't fainted, so there was that.

Capping my marker, I stepped back from the board. "Uh… I think that's it, right?" I confirmed, scanning each of the boxes. Everyone had something written in for their strengths, weaknesses, and transitions over the course of the exercises.

"'Not-fainting' isn't a strength, Ichimi," Bakugo snorted. "Try a-fucking-gain."

I frowned angrily, inexplicably embarrassed. "Well sorry! It's harder for me to think of something for myself," I protested, spinning around and pointing the marker at Bakugo accusingly. "Besides, since you did such a great job pointing out everyone's flaws, why don't you come up with a compliment!"

"Fishing for something, Ichimi?" Bakugo bit back, meeting my glare with one of his own.

"You're a good coordinator," Shouto said suddenly. "And you react quickly."

Although his words were simple and curt, I flushed bright red and stared at Shouto with wide, shocked eyes. Shouto met my gaze calmly. Biting my lip, I uncapped the marker and hurriedly turned away, copying his words onto the board quickly. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Th-thanks, Shouto," I stuttered, feeling my face burn. Apparently I needed to learn how to take a compliment. Taking a step back from the board, I tried to focus on my task. Back to business. "So, for our complete analysis, I'd say we're done. And to answer Mister Aizawa's overall question about what changed overall…" I paused, and then offered an olive branch. "I'd say Bakugo phrased it pretty well."

"We improved our teamwork," Bakugo finished promptly, smirking. "Which was the fucking point anyways, and therefore a stupid-as-shit question."

Monoma looked from Bakugo to me, and then nodded begrudgingly. "I think that's everything," he said. "I guess you Class A kids didn't do too badly."

Spotting Bakugo's head snap towards Monoma, clearly ready to take offense, I jumped between the two immediately. "How about we go present this to Mister Aizawa then?" I suggested, smiling nervously. I didn't want to listen yet to another arbitrary argument.

"Fine," Bakugo growled. "Then let's fucking go." Swinging his legs off the desk, he smoothly stood up, and then contrastingly stomped his way out the door.

Monoma sniffed. "I guess that's acceptable," he ceded, following Bakugo in a more dignified manner, but his footsteps were just as loud. It was almost as if he were competing with Bakugo on who could walk louder, but that would be stupid (I valiantly ignored how Bakugo's stomps grew louder in ratio to Monoma's).

I watched the two exit the classroom, before sighing in relief. Crisis averted, conflict prevented. Hands on my hips victoriously, I glanced over to Shouto. "You coming?" I asked. Shouto nodded, calmly standing up from his desk and padding over to the door. I dropped my marker on the whiteboard's ledge, and trailed after Shouto quietly.

"QUIET YOUR FUCKING FEET, DUMBSHIT!" I heard Bakugo scream from outside the building, apparently having already raced outside.

"OH? IS CLASS-A DEAF NOW AS WELL AS ARROGANT?! YOU'RE LOUDER THAN I AM!" Monoma challenged. Shouto looked down at me expectantly, as if somehow I could stop this.

I facepalmed.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **GreenDrkness** : Hopefully the upcoming events will help improve your opinion of Monoma. I have quite a bit planned for him, and he will come to understand Ichigo's pain quite a bit better than I think anyone expects. Ichigo has a future as a great leader, she just needs to climb out of her shell a bit. Unlike Midoriya, she has a legitimate talent and love for conversing with people (not a jab at Izuku, but just saying that boy is such an introvert it ain't even funny. Talking doesn't come naturally to him and I empathize deeply.) that will get her far, once she gets over her fear of, well, talking.

 **xenocanaan** : Thanks! Hope this chapter lived up to your expectations. I wanted it to be a _bit_ more emotional, but then I realized that it really didn't fit the situation or characters. Ichigo will be on her deathbed and denying she's in pain, so revealing anything seriously personal would be... well, impossible for her at this point.

 **Prince** : Shouto and Ichigo are friends again! Yay! And now that Shouto is a little more up front, they'll probably be better friends than before. Ichigo needs someone to give her a confidence boost. Also, it was because the boys weren't in the same vicinity. Ichigo helped, but there's nothing like a distinct "lack-of-being-present" to prevent an argument XD This chapter certainly proved they haven't given up on fighting, for sure, they just hopefully won't do so while on the battlefield. Baby steps.

 **18\. NekoMimi .27** : Aizawa was very mean, but I think this went smoother than anyone expected... including me. It was more mental strain than anything, but I think this finally gave them all a chance to really reflect on their progress, which is good considering that their next task is "leadership", and you can only have one leader... Ichigo is not very good at apologizing. Ichigo is not so good at the talky-thing yet but she's getting there. Like, at least she tried to apologize. And accepted blame for the situation, so we didn't get Private-War-Sports-Festival 2.0. Ichigo is pulling herself together more quickly. The self-doubt is definitely there, but I think the others acknowledging her will help quite a bit. The issue is if what comes up next will cripple her progress (don't mean the next trial, btw). Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

 **wierdunusualchick** : You actually aren't the first person I've heard that ships Bakugo and Ichigo. I hadn't thought of that before, but you're right: the name Bakugo's chosen really isn't an insult. I always thought of it as one just because Ichigo hates when people get her name wrong, so I never considered the meaning. Good catch! :) I actually have analyzed Bakugo and Ichigo's counter-balances before. I think, no matter the final pairing, they will make excellent comrades in the future. As for why Bakugo chose not to cooperate... heh, that's my secret to keep. But maybe it'll be explained in the future? I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and just so you know, the final pairing for Ichigo is still up in the air! I had never really realized how many people would start shipping Ichigo, so every pairings has a chance in my book. In the end, I just want Ichigo to have a happy ending, especially everything I have (and will) put her through.

 **UltimateFan-girl15** : Hopefully you continue to keep up. Thank you, I'm glad you loved the story! :)

 **HarleyQuinn312** : I am actually working on Part 2 right now; sadly, I've hit a stop-gap with my lack-of-practice writing romance. On another website I've begun a short story so I can get more comfortable writing romance, but as of right now I've had to delay finishing the Soulmate AU. I tried to write it all out but it seemed so... wrong? I don't want you guys to get a crappy follow-up to Part 1, especially since I made you all wait so long. But don't worry, I fully intend to finish the AU once and for all!


	52. Episode 50: Being A Leader Sucks

Izuku aimed a punch at my head, green lightning flickering in his eyes. With a quick duck, I slid under his fist and lunged forward. We slammed together onto the ground, and in seconds I was scrambling onto his stomach, hands reaching for his throat. Izuku's eyes widened in panic, and in an instant he attempted to shove me off. Snatching his wrist, I spun around on his chest and fell back, lifting my hips up slowly in a textbook-perfect armbar. Izuku slapped my arm, tapping out, so I relinquished my grip and rolled backwards onto my feet.

I offered my hand to help him up. "Hey, Izuku… uh, what fighting styles have you been trained in?" I asked curiously. I hadn't seen Izuku use more than a few classic kicks and punches, along with one judo throw, and was somewhat concerned. With a strength-enhancing quirk like his, hand-to-hand combat was a priority, but I didn't think Izuku had too many moves under his belt.

"Styles?" Izuku said, sounding surprised, and my heart sank. "W-well, All Might trained me in boxing, since that's what he uses, b-but that's about it," he elaborated nervously.

I tried to keep from wincing, but I didn't do a very good job. Izuku wilted. "It's not a bad thing!" I assured him. "It's just - just that All Might has really good control over his strength quirk and all, so it's easier for him to use one style," I said. "You could do better if you learned different styles, and stuff… like, more mobile fighting, if that makes sense?" I paused, trying to phrase my explanation properly. I didn't want to insult him. "I just noticed that you did a lot better after your apprenticeship, when you started using your strength for speed and agility and stuff, and if you had a fighting style to compliment that…"

"I could do better?" Izuku finished, and I nodded rapidly. He sighed, looking down at the ground thoughtfully. "I guess I could ask All Might, but I don't know if he mastered anything other than boxing, so it could be a bust…" he began to mutter. "Maybe Gran Torino? No, he's too far away… who could I ask? It's unlikely, but I could-"

"Hey, uh, Izuku?" I interrupted. "I've been doing daily training sessions with Shinsou, to prep him for next semester," I said. "If you'd like, you could just drop in. It'd be good for Shinsou to spar with someone other than me anyways, plus I'm already teaching him what Mister Aizawa showed me."

Izuku brightened instantly. "That could work!" he cheered, grinning at me. "Thanks Ichigo."

I smiled. "No problem," I said. "Considering how often we get in trouble, helping you helps me." I giggled at how fast Izuku's face heated up. He knew I was right though!

* * *

I stood between Bakugo and Shouto nervously in the same empty classroom as yesterday. None of us were comfortable enough to sit. Monoma was lingering off to the side again, per usual, but at least no one was arguing. I was feeling fairly apprehensive for our final trial. The last trial had been more of a mental strain than a physical one, and I was fully prepared for the rug to be pulled out from under my feet during the final test. It would be just like Mister Aizawa to "save the best for last." I shuddered, imagining his sadistic grin. Yep, perfectly in character.

The classroom door slid open, cutting through the tense silence. Mister Aizawa stepped into the classroom, familiar headsets in his hands. My balance shifted defensively automatically, and Mister Aizawa eyed me knowingly. "So, it's time for your last test: the Trial of Leadership," Mister Aizawa began. "I'm sure these look familiar," he said, holding up the headsets. Everyone nodded, no one wanting to be the first to speak. "Good," Mister Aizawa said. "This time around, they are all capable of communicating together. As for your test, consider this your redemption round." He gestured to the door, which snapped open with perfect timing, and in stepped the Pussy Cats. Pixie-bob wiggled her pawed fingers invitingly, eyes glimmering evilly, and a chill ran down my spine.

"Hey kittens! Ready to retake your exams?" Ragdoll asked cheerfully, bending over at a fourty-five degree angle and staring at me with wide yellow eyes. I barely kept from choking on my own spit.

"R-retake the final exams?" I repeated, stunned.

"What the fuck," Bakugo added flatly.

Mister Aizawa laid the headsets on an empty desk. "It won't be for any credit, of course," he explained. "Your final trial will be very similar to your exams. It will be your team versus your teachers, with the same rules: handcuffing your opponent eliminates them, if you escape to the end you win, if the timer runs out you lose. You'll have thirty minutes to make it from this building to cliff we first arrived at," he paused, allowing us to digest the information. I created a mental map of the terrain based on his description, reversing the visual I'd seen from the bus. It was quite a distance to cover. "There will be slightly different stakes from last time, however; if you pass this, you will be fully redeemed in the eyes of the Hero Course. This means all of your privileges will be returned - like participating in the test of courage tomorrow." I straightened up at that. Although I wasn't one for scary games, I definitely wanted to have fun with my friends. "If you fail, you'll have both dish and cooking duty for every meal until we leave. Clear?"

"Yes, Mister Aizawa," I murmured in unison with the others, spine stiff.

"Then you'll have fifteen minutes to prepare yourselves for the test. I'll come and guide you to the testing grounds when times up," he said, shuffling out the door. Ragdoll offered me a cheerful grin before skipping out behind Mister Aizawa. The door slid shut as soon as the teachers exited.

Immediately Bakugo stormed the headset table. "Have a damn headset," he barked, tossing one at each of us. I barely managed to regain my bearings long enough to catch mine, startled after the introduction to our test. "So, first we have to pick a fucking leader," Bakugo said, hanging his headset around his neck. "Who wants to be in charge of this shit-show?"

There was a short pause, and then I took a deep breath. I raised my hand timidly. "Uh, it might be best if I lead," I suggested, swallowing thickly. Although I didn't want to volunteer to be "in charge of this shitshow" (Bakago's words, not mine), I knew I was the best option. Bakugo, Monoma, and Shouto would all resist each others orders, so I was the only one with a chance of coordinating everyone. I had learned my lesson from the past trials.

Bakugo glanced at me appraisingly, and then huffed. "Then have at it," he grumbled, waving his hand dismissively and falling backwards into a chair, slinging his legs over the table.

I inhaled, adjusting the headset around my neck. "Okay. We need a plan next. I think I have a basic idea, but it needs some…" I swallowed. "Refining." There was a long pause after that announcement.

"Speak the fuck up," Bakugo urged impatiently.

I flinched at the aggressiveness of his tone. "Ah, I was thinking, um, since there's a lake nearby that extends most of the way to the cliffside, we could use that instead. Since they wouldn't expect that." I fiddled with the tips of my scarf, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "Shouto could make a raft with his ice, and then Bakago could use explosions to move it. It'd buy us a few minutes of interrupted travel, at least."

Shouto nodded. "I can do that."

Bakugo snorted. "If I'm the only one workin', that raft won't be going any damn where," he criticized, jerking his thumb towards Monoma. "He can help."

I blinked in shock. "Sorry… did you just _suggest_ Monoma copy your quirk?" I repeated in astoundment. The blonde had vehemently protested everytime Monoma so much as looked in his general direction, and now he was _offering_ to let him copy his quirk? What the heck?! Monoma looked just as stunned as I did, although he tried to cover it up the second I noticed.

"Are you hard of fucking hearing?" Bakugo growled, slamming his hand against the desk top. "No, I think he should swim and push the damn iceberg. What do you fucking think, Ichimi?"

I shook my head, trying to dispel my shock. I had experienced stranger things than Bakugo be cooperative, I told myself, although this definitely was towards the top of my list. "Right, nevermind then. Okay, so we sneak over to the lake and have Shouto make a raft, and then Monoma and Bakago can act as engines. I'll stand watch, since the Pussy Cats will probably figure out our plan pretty quick…"

* * *

The rough, icy raft floated through the water quietly. From the middle of the triangular iceberg, I watched the passing shores of the lake with vigilance. At the "stern" of our makeshift ice-boat, Shouto stood with his hands in his pockets, sending out the occasional wave of ice to maintain the raft's integrity. At the two back corners of the boat, Bakugo and Monoma kneeled with their hands below the water, muffling the sound of the explosions they were using to propel the boat forward. We'd only been afloat for a few minutes, and there had yet to be any sign of the Pussy Cats.

I reached up to tuck a loose hair fluttering in the wind behind my ear with irritation. "We're making good progress," I mumbled, eyes roving over the forest's edge. I could hear birds singing and frogs croaking, a comforting sound. "This is faster than I thought it would be."

Bakugo glanced up from over his shoulder, hands shoved in the bubbling water. "Don't fuckin' jinx it, Ichimi," he barked.

Monoma scoffed, smirking. "The great Bakago is superstitious now?" he mocked, leering menacingly. I shivered at the unholy light in his eyes. We seriously needed to either train that out of him or have him use it as a battle tactic against villains. It was downright _evil_ looking.

"OI SHUT-" Bakugo began to roar, shoulders rising defensively. I wanted to interrupt him, but was beat by Shouto instead.

"You're going to alert the teachers," he intersected calmly, voice never raising above his usual low tones. Bakugo shut his mouth abruptly, but steam visibly poured out of his ears as he stared at Monoma darkly. I winced, turning again to the woods to avoid thinking about how Bakugo was going to attempt to avenge himself after the test. I was definitely going to be held responsible for that mess.

Suddenly, I realized it was silent. No frogs, no birds, definite trouble. My eyes widened, and I turned towards the rustling tree tops a few hundred feet ahead. "Uh oh," I muttered, before looking towards Bakugo and Monoma. "They've caught on. Full steam ahead!" I barely caught the edge of Bakugo's smirk and Monoma's sneer before there was an audibly loud boom and the iceberg shot forward haphazardly.

At the same time, four dirt dragons broke free of the treeline, rising into the air. I could see each of the Pussy Cats riding their own dragon, and they made an immediate beeline for our icy raft. I met Ragdoll's wild eyes for an instant before the wind buffeted my face as the raft bounced forward again. My vision shot down towards the back end of the raft, where I could see stress fractures forming as Bakugo and Monoma steadily catapulted the iceberg forward in bursts.

"We're breaking up!" I hollered, feeling the ice shake under my feet. Even as Shouto created another thick wave of ice to keep the raft intact for a little bit longer, the dragons separated into a diamond formation with Tiger in the front. I narrowed my eyes as I saw Pixie-bob focusing into the distance. She was definitely using her quirk, which meant more monsters were on the way.

Shouto raised his arm as the dragons flew over us for their first sweep, using a burst of flames to ward them off. Ragdoll laughed crazily as the dragons turned around for another go. I narrowed my eyes, realizing it was the teachers' goal to either land on the raft with us or wreck it entirely. I lowered myself down, and then slipped on water. My eyes widened as I landed on my back, the air temporarily knocked out of me.

"Damn it, Half n' Half!" Bakugo snarled, glancing back at Shouto with burning eyes. "You're melting the fucking ice-dingy, watch it!"

Shouto didn't move his eyes from the teachers as I scrambled to my knees. "If you would prefer, I could just let them land," he quipped flatly, raising his arm to wield another blast of fire.

"Oh fuck off," Bakugo growled, using another explosion to rocket the raft further. The cliff was growing closer, but my anxiety made me focused on the sound of cracking and the shaking of the iceberg beneath me.

The dragons turned for their third circle, and I watched their motion cautiously. Shouto already had his arm raised, ice crackling at his feet as he tried to repair the raft once more. When Ragdoll pointed downwards, I realized something was wrong, remembering her quirk, Search. She had to be the strategist of the team, which meant -

When Shouto used his flames this time, three of the dragons pulled away. The third twirled midair before rising, and a blurry figure rocketed down at an angle, crashing onto the raft. My eyes widened when Tiger landed in a fighting position in front of me, the ice cracking under his feet.

Then he slipped.

The pro let out a grunt as he fell backwards, and I lunged forward in desperation. The water from the melting iceberg wasn't a good sign, but at least it kept the teachers from safely boarding. I hadn't accounted for that. Straddling Tiger's chest, I reached for his neck, determined to use a choke and distract him for at least a short bit. Tiger beat me to it, however; it only took him one hand to send me flying. I reacted immediately, curling my legs around him arm to keep myself from being flung into the water, but instead I got slammed into the ice. The impact stunned my enough to loosen my grip, and by the time I rolled to my feet, Tiger was already turning towards Shouto.

It was, admittedly, not one of my smartest plans. I tackled the back of Tiger's legs, sending him crashing backwards, and on top of me. When the easily-four-times-my-size man landed on my back, I felt my soul rise out of me for a moment. He rolled sideways, and we were in yet another scramble. I tried to lock one of his ankles, but Tiger managed to kick his way out, clipping my chin. I spun out, and barely managed to stop myself from going over the edge. Pushing myself up, I tried to keep from slipping backwards when two boots appeared in my line of view. I raised my head.

Tiger stood over me, looking impressed. "Good job, Kurosaki," he said, lifting a foot to kick me into the water. "But not good eno-!" He was cut off by the sound of a bomb, which sent him flying over my head. Where Tiger once stood was Bakugo, smoking palms outstretched.

"Shut up already," he grumbled, lowering his arms. When I stared at him flatly, he glared. "Oi, what the fuck are you doing down there?! Get up already!" He opened his mouth to continue berating me, but it appeared the iceberg had had enough. With a loud crack, it split into two pieces, each tilting precariously to tip our teenage crew into the water.

Fortunately, I'd planned for this. Bakugo's hand was gripping my collar and swinging me around before the iceberg could even finish halving, and by the time my arms were wrapped around his shoulders, we were already in the air. Off to the right, I could see Monoma carrying Shouto in a similar manner into the sky, and having a much harder time of it if the cussing meant anything. Shouto was clinging onto Monoma's ankles, looking dead inside as he was tossed about in the air while Monoma tried to fly with extra weight.

"Bakago! You were supposed to take Shouto!" I yelled into my mic, air whipping around me and making it hard to judge volume.

Bakugo grit his teeth. "DON'T FUCKING SCREECH IN MY EARS, ICHIMI!" He yelled, making me cringe instead. "AND THERE WASN'T EXACTLY TIME FOR A DAMN SWITCH-FUCKING-ROO! BE GRATEFUL I DIDN'T LEAVE YOU SWIMMING WITH THE FISHES!"

Although I was sorely tempted to comment that at least the fishes would be polite while I drowned, I decided that paying attention to the Pussy Cats quickly approaching armada was more important than winning the argument. The dirt dragons were swiftly catching up, and I could already see Monoma and Shouto lagging behind, the less experienced flier unable to handle the heavy weight. Glancing forward over Bakugo's shoulder, I judged the distance between us and the shoreline. We'd lose both Shouto and Monoma if we tried to make it all the way to the cliff's edge, but if this was like the final…

"Everyone, land at the treeline!" I commanded loudly, hoping Monoma or Shouto were paying attention to their headsets.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO FUCKING YELL!" Bakugo lambasted, but he adjusted his trajectory. I prepared for a rough landing, judging that I would have about fifteen seconds between Monoma's arrival and the Pussy Cats attack.

Bakugo's feet hit the ground, and I was immediately thrown off his back. I flipped midair, ignoring my sore muscles in favor of landing in a crouch. The jerk. He glared at me, prepared to make demands, but I was focused on Shouto and Monoma.

"Shouto! Put up a wall, high as you can!" I ordered, before spinning back around. "Bakugo, I need you to head for the exit gate. Only one of us has to make it!"

"Fuck that!" He cussed, seething. "I'll help more here!" To punctuate his statement, his palms exploded angrily.

Above, I heard the sound of ice breaking, and knew that the Pussy Cats were attempting to shatter their way through the wall. It wouldn't last forever.

"Bakago, can't you just lis-!" I tried frustratedly, only to be cut off by the sound of running feet. My head whipped around as I watched Monoma go running for the cliff, hands extended behind him. Dual explosions sent him rocketing into the air as he flew off.

"YOU CLASS A KIDS LOVE TO WASTE TIME!" he yelled as he vanished into the distance.

I grinned despite the tension. "He actually listened!" I said in happy surprise, spinning back around to face the dirt wall as another slam echoed, this time higher in the air.

Shouto and Bakugo moved to my sides, facing the barrier. "We need to buy time," Shouto said, adding more ice to the wall. "They're going to fly over eventually."

Bakugo grunted in agreement, clenching and unclenching his fists. "Give him three minutes at that pace," he estimated. I decided to believe him, since he knew his quirk better than I did. My mind scrambled to come up with a plan, knowing that holding the conjoined Pussy Cats back from following Monoma wouldn't be easy.

"Shouto, set the forest behind us on fire," I decided. "We may not be going that way, but if the flames are high enough they won't either." Shouto nodded, turning around as I looked to Bakugo. "We'll need to ground them quickly. Think you can wreck their rides?" I asked, already trying to think several steps ahead.

Bakugo smirked, adjusting his stance for take off. "Any other stupid questions?" he answered, and I found myself grinning back.

"Nah," I responded. "If you can manage that, I can handle them on the ground," I teased, and then ducked Bakugo's swat. "Hey, that's friendly fire!" I complained.

"You kittens should pay more attention," A new voice scolded, sounding fairly odd without any real sound. My head shot upwards towards the top of the wall. Mandalay smiled down at us, her three companions at her sides. Ragdoll wiggled her fingers at us as Mandalay's voice echoed in our heads. "If you have time to play, we must not be doing our jobs right!"

There was a solid second where the Pussy Cats got to look cool, standing posed over the top of the artificial glacier while the sun shined from behind their backs. Then, Bakugo let out a screech of fury and flew at their faces, and I scrambled backwards to Shouto's side. He clearly finished up setting the treeline aflame.

"We might get in trouble for that, you know," he pointed out prudently.

"It'll be worth it if we pass," I declared. "When they hit the ground, I need you to separate Pixie-bob from the rest. She's the only ranged one and the worst melee fighter. I'll pin her, you freeze her, and we'll take it one-on-one from there." Shouto hummed in agreement, and the both of us watched Bakugo fly about haphazardly, sending dirt soaring through the air and dragons crashing to the ground. I could hear the occasional scream of rage that signaled Bakugo was doing well.

Finally, the first dragon came crashing to the earth. Lo and behold, t'was Pixie-bob, looking very startled as she landed in a roll from her very dismembered dragon. I was on her in seconds, wrapping my legs around her neck and slamming her against the ground. The crackle of ice signaled her imprisonment. I didn't have time to celebrate my successful tactics, however; the other Pussy Cats were already dropping down to rescue their comrade.

Shouto immediately started shooting waves of ice at Mandalay, herding her away from Tiger and towards the forest. I approved of this decision, given how unsuited Mandalay was for battling his quirk (not that I could think of anyone who was really _suited_ to battling Shouto). Before Tiger could follow after her to help, Bakugo came dropping out of the sky like a deranged, bomb-carrying eagle and set an explosion off in his face. The two quickly tore off towards the lake, Bakugo employing very similar tactics as he did in the USJ. I observed his bouncing around, using explosions to maneuver, and kept an eye on Shouto and Mandalay, when a very heavy weight slammed into my side.

I instinctively spun around to face my opponent, arms bracing against their side. Ragdoll grinned at me, uneven eyes lighting up. "It's like Mandalay said," she chirped, swinging her leg over to straddle me. "Pay attention, kitten!" I arched my back, pushing up on my toes and rolling to the side so I was on top instead. If she wanted a hand to hand fight, she'd get one.

From there on, Ragdoll and I tumbled about, both trying to get the upper-hand as Bakugo's explosions and Todoroki's fire crackled in the background. Although I was more skilled in ground-fighting, Ragdoll's quirk allowed her to spot every opening I had, and neither of us could manage to actually pin the other. When I finally managed to get atop her chest, arms wrapping around her shoulders in preparation for a choke, I was elated. Sweat pouring down my face, I grit my teeth and slid my fingers into my sleeve-

A loud horn sounded off. Ragdoll and I both froze, and I could see Bakugo plummet to the earth off to the side, Tiger lowering his arms. I stood up off of Ragdoll and offered her my hand. Helping her to her feet, I turned my eyes to the cliff, as if somehow I'd be able to see Monoma there. My fingers crossed, hoping that Monoma had made it and not that the time had run out. I had lost track of how long it had been during the battle.

"Everyone, the test is now over," Mister Aizawa's tired voice droned over the headsets. "Bakugo, Todoroki, Kurosaki and Monoma…" he paused, intentionally allowing the tension to build. I knew it was purposeful since he'd told me before he'd found it funny, the bully. I clenched my fists, muscles tightening in anticipation.

"... Pass."

I grinned. "YES!" I cheered, pumping my fist. I spun around towards Shouto and darted forward. He was still standing there frozen when I spun to a stop in front of him, bouncing with excitement. "We did it! We did it!" I chanted happily.

Shouto looked down at me, startled. "We did," he agreed dully, not sounding excited at all. I deflated.

"Stop acting like an idiot, Ichimi," Bakugo huffed, and I turned around to face him angrily. "It's not a fucking surprise we passed."

Suddenly, a new voice cut in over the headsets. "Actually, _I_ passed," Monoma leered, sounding utterly victorious. "Class B saved the day!"

I couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

 **A Really, Really Long Mailbox**

* * *

Okay, I'm sorry its been so long since I last updated. I've had a really difficult semester and lacked time to write, but to make up for previous deadtime I will be updating three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) until Winter Break ends, where I will have to adjust according to my workload. Thank you to everyone who commented, I organized my responses alphabetically by your guys usernames. My apologies for some of the long ones, there was a lot to respond to.

 **Alex Fones:** You have left many different comments, so I shall do my best to respond to them all. It may come across as an unorganized stream of consciousness, I didn't intend to imitate William Faulkner, I am sorry. Starting now: Ichigo's quirk is a pretty long story, but I needed a way to weaponize a healing quirk, and I wondered "what if she could, like, regrow limbs immediately. She'd be a human tank, and then if she shared it it'd be _awesome_ ," and then realized "wow that's strong okay how do we stop her from spamming that" and thought, "what if it hurt. A lot." And so Ichigo got a quirk with backlash. Ichigo did live in a box for a while, it actually isn't unheard of for runaways to fake their home addresses and continue to attend school. It's difficult, but not impossible. Essentially, she takes an address she knows (like a random house) and puts that down on her application form. Then, she goes to the mailbox before the people that live there can see and collects her letter of acceptance. As long as there are no home visits, no one will ever know she _doesn't_ actually live there. Ichigo will offer a more in depth explanation in the future. Izuku drops being vice president half-way through the year and Momo takes the position. It happens off-screen somewhere around the time Izuku realizes Ichigo knew that Aizawa planned on using the President and Vice President as paperwork slaves. At the USJ, Thirteen's murder of the villains will eventually have meaning, I did consider the repercussions of that actually (MUAHAHA, I won't tell you what though). The Sports Festival was probably one of the few times Ichigo will ever be seriously, long term and obviously angry at one of her friends. She's usually pretty forgiving, but sometimes she blows things out of proportion due to her past affect her perception of reality. Ichigo is a very unrealiable narrator. Michi is very cute, she has a future in this story, she will reappear. I don't create OCs often, but when I do, you better bet I make the most of them. The Sports Festival is a major stepping stone in Bakugo and Ichigo's relationship, since they have more in common than either realize and have great potential as friends. Ichigo will definitely one day be standing there explaining how she got stuck with "Hime-Hime" as her alias. Like most things about herself though, she'll learn to embrace it in the future though as well. Aizawa is the bestTM. Glad you appreciated the groups I made for the test, I stressed about those for weeks. Aizawa is the biggest, pettiest bully to ever roam Japan, and it shows in everything he does. Thank you for enjoying the story, and I hope you continue to do so. And thank you for commenting, its what motivates me to write :) I'll need that since I'll be updating thrice a week now.

 **castielris** : Yeah... they're not doing too badly, I suppose. As well as they can. Bakugo and Monoma will always be "like that", but I think its part of their charm. As for why Ichigo is blushing around Shouto, there are two interpretations. One, Ichigo isn't used to recieving compliments - especially from him - so they affect her since she's easily embarrassed. Or two, she has a crush. It's up to the readers' interpretation, since I don't think about romance while writing. I'm oblivious in real life, and that translates into my writing. As I've previously stated, I never intended to set up any of the ships that have formed, they just kind of... happened. So Bakugo and Ichigo still have a chance, I'll probably go with popular opinion and what seems right at the end of all of this.

 **Emocean** : Whoo boy, you have said _much_ and I haven't updated in a while. Okay. To begin: thank you. I was a bit aggrieved when I wrote that first author's note, but I'm glad you appreciated my sarcasm. Second: I like to explain things. I can ramble for hours on various, relatively unconnected topics, so I tend to include explanations if I feel them necessary or someone asks (as you've probably noticed). I like understanding character psychology when reading, so I include those notes out of personal preference. Third: I use both the anime and manga (although I follow the manga mostly, yeah) to write because sometimes I must copy lines and it is hard :( This story is semi-AU, as you've probably noticed, so it will continue to depart more and more from the canon story line as the changes Ichigo has made build up. I am a major proponent of the butterfly affect, so it appears in most of my stories. And now for your final note: I'm glad you like Ichigo. I tried to make her as real as possible when creating her, she honestly took the longest amount of time to plan when I first had this idea. In many ways she writes herself, so I'm happy she comes across as organic. I've heard mixed things about the stuttering, but I created that feature so there would be a physical reflection of Ichigo's anxiety in her character. Her dialouge was a mess because _she_ was a mess, and as she became more mentally organized her stutter slowly disappeared and her speech cleaned up. To answer your question about Ichigo's backstory (see chapters 28-31), she finally ran away because she tried to get her grandmother help, and Koharu - the woman she'd been relying on and saw as her only friend/ally in the world - lied to her about it and basically screwed her over. Ichigo'd had enough. The truth about her situation may come out sooner than you think ;) If you've read the manga, you can probably guess when since Ichigo's missing a certain something(s). Ichigo is very mature for her age, but a lot of her insecurities keep her from seeing that. As she grows as a person, she will begin to recognize her own worth and improve as a result. That's why she failed the finals - as you said, she needed that to grow. She need to learn to lose, which is something many highly intelligent children (like Ichigo) never learn to manage. Seriously, there's a bunch of psychological studies on gifted kids, it's fascination. Anyways, you are very right. Ichigo was most of the missing link between the second and third tests. The other's did become more cooperative, but she was the big distinction, as this chapter pointed out. You will have to find out about the invasion and who is the target next chapter, but you are right, Bakugo not recieving first place will effect his kidnapping. As I've previously stated, this story is Semi-AU, so it will depart more and more from canon as it grows. Many of the same arcs will still exist, but I may put spins on them or add new ones. Some may end up being removed depending on what happens. Character arcs will flow differently, but for STS!Bakugo, he experiences more growth during the summer camp than canon!Bakugo because of the trials. This will change his character arc quite a bit, since I have _plans_ for him. As for Ichigo's involvement - it may not exactly be how you think. After all, there are other main characters with knacks for getting themselves in trouble. Lastly, about Ichigo's goal (see chapters 9 and 31), she wants to be a hero because one, she doesn't want to ever be forgotten after her childhood trauma, and two, she wants to use her fame and fortune to create an organization to help kids in emotionally/physically abusive homes who feel they have no way out. Basically she wants to prevent there ever being anyone like her ever again. And I think that covers everything!

 **kalandrawow** : Okay, so this comment actually made my day when I read this, thank you. I put a lot of thought into Ichigo's character design, and I'm glad you appreciated her stutter because I put _way_ more effort into that than I think anyone realized, so thank you. Ichigo's reflection functions as a physical reflection of her own internal anxiety, so there's a connection between her chaotic dialouge and chaotic mind. As she grows more confident and mentally organized, her stutter slowly disappears, which is why even now when she's flustered the stutter reappears. She hasn't finished growing yet. Thank you so much for this because I have put a lot of thought into it, and you had me physically grinning for an hour when you pointed it out. I hope you continue to enjoy the fic, since I will now be returning to regular updates Mon-Wed-Fri.

 **Myherogal22:** Thank you! I'm back now, so you can expect a lot more chapters soon. I maintain an update schedule, and to make up for my absence I'll be updating every Mon-Wed-Fri until the end of Winter Break. I'll adjust from there accordingly based on my work-load. Thanks again! :D

 **Naruffoku** : Okay, so let me just say watching your comments slowly become more and more positive as you read the story was very amusing for me. I'm glad you appreciated this story, since it has been my first fic and I did put a lot of thought into it. I honestly plan to go back at some point and rewrite those opening chapters, since I feel I've improved in my writing since then and could probably update those a bit. About Ichigo's name: you are very right that she is very much a wreck and nothing like Ichigo from Bleach. That was acutally intentional, because Ichigo sees Bleach!Ichigo as an ideal and wants to be confident like him, which is why she borrowed his name. And yes, BNHA does occur in a century from now, but considering that its been stated that technological development stalled entirely after the entrance of quirks, I don't think its too much of a stretch to believe that entertainment might've been put on pause as well. I mean, somehow flip-phones still exist since Ochako has one, so it could work. I know I still haven't fixed that Shinji mistake in chapter 3, I don't why. People keep pointing it out and I keep saying, "wow, better go fix that" and then nothing happens. I'm awful, I know. It would be more accurate to physics if that happened, I actually didn't consider that. I will add that to my list (I have one, seriously) of things to correct when I rewrite the beginning arcs. Bakugo is not necessarily alright with her calling him Bakago, but he calls other people stupid nicknames 24/7 and she's already proven that exploding her face doesn't wrok, so I think he's just rolling with it. Ichigo can be excited and still stutter because at that point in the story (chapter 12) she is in constant turmoil whenever she's arround people. So even though she's happy and around her friends, she's still anxious 24/7 and so she stutters. It takes a lot of concentration and therapy to end a stutter, _if_ its possible. Someone people never do. I plan to tie up Ichigo's backstory more later on, the reason I left it unfinished for now is because this story isn't even close to over. "Hirohime" was the name Ichigo had planned to go with actually. "Himehime" was mostly a joke she'd intended to correct via paperwork later on, except the Hero Killer Incident crushed said opportunity. Thank you, I'm glad you read it all the way through and gave the story time to develop. I wouldn't go so far as to say anyone who struggles with quadratics is _dumb_ (since a sucky teacher can _really_ screw you over) but it is pretty easy. Thank you, I'm glad you stuck around long enough to see and appreciate Ichigo's character development, and I hope you continue to appreciate it in the future!

 **Nightwing:** Thank you! I'm super happy you consider this one of the best BNHA OC-Insert stories you've read, I've put a lot of effort into it. You probably didn't have to wait as long as everyone else for an update, since this is only about two weeks after you commented, but I hope you continue to enjoy the story and know I'll be updating frequently now!

 **Prince:** Bakugo, Monoma, and Todoroki all have one thing in common - they are terribly abrasive. Honestly, I leave a lot of open ended areas in this story, because it's from Ichigo's perspective and therefore I can only tell what she experiences. So was Izuku muttering about Shouchigo? They world will never know, but you are free to interpret as you wish :)

 **Rae Kid:** Thank you so much, you have no idea how much that means to me. I always stress about my characters being organic and avoiding Sues, so it always makes me happy to hear someone say Ichigo seems geniune. Things _will_ blow up in Ichigo's face eventually, since a) we need drama and b) I am of the opinion no one can keep secrets forever. I _LOVE_ changing the plot, and I plan to continue to do so, so thank you! I'm glad you think I've done well with this fic! And I can understand you perfectly, it always frustrates me when characters don't change stories. Even the smallest of conversations can have major effects, nothing makes me drop a story faster than when nothing changes. And I do intend to finish the soulmate AU! I am halfway done, but as I said earlier... this semester has been hard. But I will finish it! I will! (eventually)

 **Sheridan111000** : The Shouchigo ship has kidnapped yet another poor soul. And thank you, I hope you continue to enjoy the story now that I will be back on my update schedule!


	53. Episode 51: Test Of Courage!

After the test ended, the Pussy Cats guided the three of us back to the classroom we'd begun at. Monoma and Mister Aizawa were waiting inside, the first sitting in a desk and the latter standing at the lectern. I filed in after Shouto and Bakugo, moving to sit next to Monoma. The other boys sat nearby, the four of us facing the teachers as they lined up in front of the board.

Mister Aizawa was the first to speak. "Congratulations, you passed your final trial," he said. "All your privileges have been restored, there will be no more extra lessons." I raised my hands to clap, but when none of the others made a move to, I lowered my hands silently. "Before I release you all to do whatever teenagers do, some final notes on your performance." I gulped, tensing nervously. "Monoma," Mister Aizawa began, looking to the boy in question. "When this started out, your teacher told me that it wasn't likely you'd be willing to cooperate with any student from my class out of prejudice. You adapted as necessary, continue to keep an open mind and you won't need to repeat this."

Monoma appeared sorely tempted to respond, but forcefully kept his mouth shut. I found myself impressed by his show of maturity, I hadn't thought he'd had a filter. Wait, that was mean. Well, he was a jerk for a while…

"Bakugo," Mister Aizawa continued, and Bakugo crossed his arms and looked off to the side in answer. "Your issue was the most obvious. You landed yourself here because you weren't willing to work with others, but you figured out how to cooperate effectively. Keep it up." The blonde didn't offer anything more than a grumble in response, but I thought I might've seen his cheeks heat up a bit for a moment. "Todoroki," Mister Aizawa moved on regardless, and Shouto averted his eyes from the window to pay attention. "During the final, you were overconfident and thought you'd be better off alone. Respect your teammates' strengths and this won't be necessary again."

Shouto nodded easily, apparently unperturbed by Mister Aizawa pointing out his mistakes. "Understood," he said evenly. I felt slightly envious of his smooth response. I never took criticism that well.

Finally, Mister Aizawa looked to me. "Kurosaki, at the start of this you couldn't even suggest ideas to your teammates, and by the end you were shouting commands," he said, and I blushed and ducked my head. I was still surprised by how easily I'd managed to slide into the leadership role, but I'd been too determined to succeed to care. "Continue to use your voice and you'll be a valuable member of any team." My face turned red as a tomato, I could feel the heat radiating from my face, making my cheeks and ears burn.

"Dismissed!" Tiger barked, finishing the impromptu lesson.

Once we'd dispersed from the classroom, I spent the next few hours hanging out in the hotsprings with the other girls. I told them about what had happened, and at Ochako's urge Momo gave me a tiny gold crown as a reward. I pinned it to my hair and kept it there even after changing out of my bathing suit. Pulling on my slightly-too-small red shorts, I changed with the other girls into more casual clothes in preparation for the Test of Courage. Hagakure was excitedly brainstorming ideas about how to scare people with Ashido in the back corner, and I could hear Jirou and Tsuyu quietly talking as well. I found my last clean t-shirt, white and previously stained with tomato juice, and pulled it on.

"Do you think we'll get to pick partners?" Ochako whispered nervously.

Momo shrugged, which was a bit awkward considering she was in the middle of pulling on her shirt. "Perhaps," she answered. "I doubt it will make much difference."

I nodded in agreement, zipping up my backpack. "I'm sure we'll have a good time regardless," I agreed.

"But imagine if one of us got Bakugo for a partner or something," she muttered, eyes wide in horror at the mere idea. She shuddered.

Momo frowned. "Yes, that would be… unpleasant," she phrased politely.

"I'd be okay with it," I shrugged. "It'd be funny to see his reactions, anyway." I grinned (perhaps a tad too maliciously) at the visual of Bakugo screaming cuss words and jumping backward from some little prank. The amusement was slightly dampened by the following image of him blowing up whatever had frightened him, but the idea remained funny regardless.

"Icchan," Ochako deadpanned. "You are the only person who would say that."

I jerked my head up. "Not true! Kirishima would agree, and Kaminari, and Ashido, and-"

"Outside of the Bakusquad, Icchan," Ochako amended. I was tempted to argue that Shouto and Monoma would probably find it funny as well, but decided not to argue technicalities. It wouldn't matter in the long run anyway, we'd probably be allowed to pick partners. Right?

Right.

* * *

"To save time, I will now announce your partners for the Test of Courage," Mister Aizawa said plainly, crushing my hopes under foot. I hugged myself a little tighter, shivering in the cold night air in my red shorts and thin white t-shirt. Behind me, the forest was dark and damp, and the moon barely lit the gaps between the trees. I knew I should've brought a jacket, but I had been too concentrated on my conversation with Ochako to pay attention to the weather until it was too late.

From beside me, Ochako whispered bitterly, "I knew it."

"P-perhaps y-you'll b-b-be partnered w-w-with a f-friend," I responded with chattering teeth, entire body trembling. _This_ was one of the many issues of being small, my body temperature was far too easily affected by the weather. I tossed a jealous glance at Shouto, who was looking utterly at home in his t-shirt and pants. I wanted his quirk so badly right now.

Suddenly, a large blanket was draped over my shoulders. My eyes widened, and I glanced back to see Momo rebuttoning up her shirt. She smiled at me gently as Mister Aizawa began reading the pairs off his device. "Please stay warm, Ichigo," she murmured. "You should enjoy yourself." I smiled back at her gratefully. Of course she'd notice, Momo knew I'd been excited about this.

"Uraraka and Asui," Mister Aizawa read aloud. I grinned at Ochako and elbowed her, nodding towards Asui. I knew she'd get a good partner. "Yaoyorozu and Kurosaki," he said next, and my smile widened further. I turned to Momo with an excited squeal, almost missing his next words: "And last up is Todoroki and Bakugo. Listen to Pixie-bob about the rest." With those words, Mister Aizawa turned towards the building and walked off.

I stared at Shouto and Bakugo, who were looking at each other blankly. Then, I burst out laughing. Bakugo wheeled on me so fast he blurred. "WHAT THE FUCK'S SO FUNNY ICHIMI?!" he demanded. I was too busy giggling to answer though, so I just clutched my stomach and let Momo tug me into line.

They were going to kill each other. And for once, I wouldn't be held responsible.

* * *

The woods were darker than I'd thought they'd be from the outside. I tiptoed behind Momo quietly, clutching my blanket around myself tighter and peering into the trees anxiously. We'd already been jumpscared multiple times, and I'd nearly punched Tetsutetsu in the face the first time. The second time I'd just screamed and everyone had laughed at me, including Momo. At the memory, I glanced at Momo's back. She was up ahead and striding forward confidently, clearly unafraid. At least she was having a good time, I was too paranoid for this. Why had I thought this would be fun again?

"H-hey, Momo?" I whispered, pulling my blanket closer.

Momo didn't pause. "Yes, Ichigo?"

"Uh, do you think we can go back?" I asked nervously. "I think I'm done."

"I don't believe so," Momo answered, looking over her shoulder at me. I tried to ignore the amused tilt to her lips. "Besides, that'd mean we failed the Test of Courage."

I bobbed my head agreeably. "I don't care," I said assuredly. "But if you want, you can stay, and I'll return by myself." In response, Momo threw her head back and laughed. I assumed that meant no, and sighed sadly.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a tree-branch snapping. I spun around to see who - or what - was going to attack me. All I saw was the empty blackness of the night. I leaned back and forth, searching between the trees for the source of the sound, but couldn't find anything.

"Ichigo, calm down," Momo said from behind me. "It was most likely an anim- ahhhh!" Her words were cut off by a hand appearing on her shoulder. I watched with wide eyes as Monoma peeled out of the tree behind Momo, a creepy leer on his face.

"Boo," he said, and then ducked when Momo's leg snapped up towards his head. I bit my lip when I saw Monoma's flabbergasted expression and Momo's narrowed eyes as her foot rocketed inches over his head. "What are you Class-A idiots doing?!" Monoma barked, offended from his place halfway in the ground. I stared. Monoma noticed my face and said, "I copied Kodai's quirk. Look, I'm going to count that as a scare, so both of you can get a move on." He gestured for us to move along.

Momo crossed her arms. "That was a counterattack, not a reaction of fear," she argued. I looked to her in surprise at the almost petulant tone of her voice. "The point goes to us."

Monoma resurfaced entirely, standing on the ground properly. "You don't counterattack a classmate in a game," he countered, a very compelling point. "Unless you've forgotten it's a game. _Out of fear_." I was partly amazed by Monoma's rational argument, and partly stunned by Momo's put out, childish expression.

"You never know what could happen out here," Momo insisted. "We're in the middle of the woods, anything could have attacked us."

Monoma looked insulted. "We guarded by Pro Heroe-"

"Do you guys smell something burning?" I interrupted, turning in a circle towards the scent with a frown on my face.

"No," Monoma answered without hesitation. I spun on him, offended by his incredulous tone.

Momo appeared doubtful. "Ichigo, do you suspect a forest fire? Perhaps someone managed to surprise Bakugo or Todoroki, surely it can't be-" she paused, and then stared over my head with eyes wide in horror. I looked over my shoulder slowly, and then cringed in fear. The woods were alight with blue fire. There was no way that had come from Bakugo or Todoroki, or any other natural source.

"We're under attack," I declared, pushing through my fear to try and assess the situation. The blue fire was spread across the treetops all the way along the northern and western sides of the forest, and was quickly creeping along the eastern side as well, moving towards us. At the very least, someone with a very powerful flame quirk was attacking the camp, and given that it was supposed to be a top-secret location… there was more to this situation than met the eye. The only people I could think of with motivation to attack the Hero Course were the Villain Alliance, but I didn't want to make assumptions either. Especially given that if they were involved…

I swallowed, not wanting to follow that line of thought. "Okay, so we have a minimum of one invader with a powerful fire quirk, possibly more," I began, focusing on the facts rather than speculation. "We're cut off from communication with the teachers, which means we're on our own. We need to stick together and move towards the camp building. The others probably will do so as well."

Momo nodded in agreement. "Sounds good," she said.

I looked to Monoma. "Coming?" I asked. He hesitated, and then nodded silently. He looked more than a little terrified, and then I realized that unlike us students of Class A, Class B wasn't used to encountering villains. Monoma wasn't as prepared for this as Momo after the USJ, or me after… well, everything. I bit my lip, hoping he'd be able to handle this, and then pointed towards the building. "We'll cut through the woods. Staying on the path just makes us targets. Be as quiet as you can."

Both of the others bobbed their heads in agreement, and then we moved forward into the trees. I was careful to be light on my feet as we moved into the darkness, my heels barely touching the ground as I scanned the area around me with paranoia. We could be attacked at any point and I would be expected to handle the situation. Surprisingly, that didn't scare me as much as it should have, but I was more focused on the potential for ambush I supposed.

Several minutes - or maybe an hour, I wasn't sure - into our journey, I heard a loud gargle. The familiar, inhuman sound caught my attention instantly and my head snapped to the left. There was a long pause, and I held my breath. A bead of sweat rolled down my forehead, and I stared in quiet fear, hoping that it was just an animal.

With a roar, a monster broke through the trees. After Hosu, I knew for a fact it was a Noumu. My blood ran cold as I jumped back away from the flying wood shards, instantly understanding that meant the Villain Alliance was most definitely involved, and... well, it wasn't an animal.

"Monoma, you don't experience the after-effects of quirks once your time limit runs out, right?" I asked, watching the disproportionate creature regain its bearings slowly, shaking its head and grumbling.

"Yeaahhh…?" Monoma said shakily, still staring at the Noumu.

I reached over to touch Momo's bare wrist, a curl of steam spiraling out of my collar. "I need you to find the others and tell them the Villain Alliance is attacking," I said carefully, eyes still fixed on the Noumu as it finally stood steadily on its feet, facing us. I could see the blades sticking out of its skin, and I knew this would be a difficult fight. "Use my quirk to get through the flames, but whatever you do _don't_ deactivate it." The Noumu let out a shrill screech and lunged forward. I shoved Monoma out of the way as I landed in a backward tumble, screaming, "RUN!"

The last glimpse I had of him was his turned back as he ran straight forward into the blue flames, a column of steam rising into the sky, as Momo dragged me into the trees and we ran for our lives, Noumu on our heels.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

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 **bunnyxstar** : Thanks! Here's another one. Hopefully I won't need another long absence like that again!

 **Chicwowwow** : Ichigo is highly intelligent, but I built her that way for a reason. When I first had the idea for STS, I wanted to create a female character with a healing quirk that could become a top hero. That meant she needed to be both powerful and strategic (and to be honest, I have a hard time writing unintelligent characters). So she is strong, and has the potential to be stronger, but that's because I wanted her to be able to go toe-to-toe with characters like Bakugo, Midoriya, or Todoroki. Because those boys are going to be top heroes one day, let's be real, and if you're going to make a character on that level they need to be capable of at least putting up a good fight against one them. But I'm glad she remains human, because what she ultimately is, is a scared kid with a lot more ambition than she has talent. She wants to be a hero that is never forgotten, and that means becoming a lot more than she is now. So I wanted to write her as a simple, weak human, before I wrote her as an epic hero. If that makes sense?

 **Naruffoku** : I try to respond to every comment on my story. I know that some people have a hard time finding the courage to comment, but I've heard the fact I take the time to answer makes them more confident about speaking up. And I love talking about my stories! To answer your question:

Ichigo Kurosaki/Asano. Quirk: Mitotic Regeneration. This quirk enables the user to cause every cell in their body to begin rapidly rebirthing, making them immune to most injuries (with a few exceptions, like cancer which would actually worsen it); however, the longer this quirk is activated for, the more energy that builds up, meaning the quirk can only be activated for a certain period of time before the user overheats and potentially combusts. In addition, the user can share their regeneration with others, but once their quirk deactivates, they are forced to experience the pain of both their own injuries and those they healed, making it wise to remain cautious and refrain from using the quirk unless necessary.

 **safranbrod** : Looking up other ways to portray stuttering is a good idea, I'll add that to my list of things to fix once I begin rewriting (you'd be surprised at the number of tips I've gotten, this list is getting long). I try to be real with everyone, so this was my first ever serious fanfiction, and the first few chapters of this story remain something I'm not-exactly-proud-of. Thank you very much for the suggestions, I tried to get more varied as I moved forward, but you're definitely right about those first chapters being... repetitive and unrefined, at best. I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

 **xenocanaan** : Things are finally going right for Ichigo! One second while I fuck that all up. Here's your more!


	54. Episode 52: Run, Monoma!

Neito Monoma wasn't brave. He wanted to be, he could assure you, but in his heart of hearts he _knew_ he wasn't brave. It was one of the reasons he lambasted people like Midoriya and Kurosaki so much - the sheer stupidity of their bullheaded, self-sacrificing bravery was intimidating at times. They managed to make him feel like the youngest child all over again, even after managing to reach Yuuei Academy.

Running through a forest on fire, Monoma was reminded of how _not_ -brave he really was. He could barely see through the steam rising off his skin, and the fire licking his ankles made him itch nervously. Some part of him was still terrified - despite knowing he couldn't be injured - by the act of running through a forest fire burning neon blue. There was a certain amount of security in knowing that he could lose his limbs right now and keep soldiering on painlessly, but Monoma found himself respecting Kurosaki's sheer aptitude for recklessness a little bit more now. Knowing that you couldn't be injured didn't help that tiny, irritating voice in the back of your head that screamed " _SURVIVE!_ " when running headfirst into danger.

Hearing the sounds of running feet and rapid-fire cussing, Monoma knew he'd found what he was looking for. Veering around into a burning bush, Monoma ignored the annoying slapping of leaves and branches to the face and came out facing Todoroki and Bakugo. The two were running along one of the paths, Todoroki carrying Tsurababa slung over his back. They were jogging at a good pace, but Monoma could already tell the two were tired. In a moment of inspiration, given that this was his best chance to get away uninjured, Monoma waited for Todoroki to run past, and then leaped out at Bakugo.

Bakugo's eyes widened and he jumped back, letting Monoma land on his feet right in front of him. In an instant, he saw several expressions run across Bakugo's face: shock, irritation, and then anger. A second after the last emotion finished processing, an open palm rested on Monoma's face. "Do you have any idea," Bakugo hissed. "How much I want to blast your fucking idiotic head in right now?"

Monoma grinned against Bakugo's palm. "I have Kurosaki's quirk," he said mockingly. "Go for it."

In an instant, Bakugo's hand dropped, and Todoroki had already circled back around. "Heal this fucking deadweight then," Bakugo ordered grabbing one of Tsurababa's limp hands and offering it to Monoma. Monoma, grateful for his innate understanding of how to use the quirk's he borrowed (given how little explanation Kurosaki had offered before telling him to run - what kind of command was "don't deactivate it" anyways? Did Kurosaki really think Monoma was going to turn off his 5 minutes of immortality in a life or death situation? Really?)

With a mostly habitual, "Class A students are the real deadweights," Monoma spread the quirk over to Tsurababa. He then reached out to Bakugo and slapped his attached wrist with more than necessary violence.

When he finally reached for Todoroki, the stoic teen stepped out of reach. "Where's Ichigo?" Todoroki commanded.

"She and Yaoyorozu are fighting a Noumu right now," Monoma said, and saw the immediate realization on both of the other kids faces. Tsurababa was still sitting on the ground, staring at his hands and looking confused. "She said to find others and tell them the Villain Alliance was attacking, and that we needed to return to the facility," he repeated faithfully.

Tsurababa stood up. "Guys, what's happening?" He asked, glancing around at the burning woods and suspicious gas cloud rapidly approaching.

Bakugo huffed, crossing his arms and utterly sidelining Tsurababa's question. "And of course Ichimi fucking decided retreating was beneath her and decided to fight a damn anti-All Might super weapon. Did she order Ponytail to run as well?"

"No," Monoma said, ignoring Tsurababa as well. He saw his classmate's face growing rapidly more irate. "I think she had a plan, though."

Todoroki shook his head. "I doubt it," he disagreed confidently.

"Well you weren't there," Monoma said a bit snottily. What could he say? He was high on adrenaline and fearing for his life right now, he could act like a brat.

* * *

"Ichigo, do you have any sort of plan right now?!" Momo shrieked as we jumped from one falling tree onto another. I scrambled to my feet and tugged Momo along, dragging her over into the same tree as the Noumu toppled over the tree we had been standing on yet again. With a loud roar, the creature grabbed the tree we'd previously been in and yanked it out of the ground, throwing it at us and severely overshooting in sheer frustration. I stared for a moment as the gigantic oak made an arc through the sky. That thing was freaking strong.

I met Momo's panicked eyes. "Would it make you feel better if I said yes?" I questioned, hurrying into the next tree.

"YES!" Momo shouted, less gracefully following after me. She had already tried shooting the Noumu with various, progressively more powerful guns, to no avail. As a result, she was currently shirtless and her face was covered in dirt. She definitely looked a mess. The only consolation was that she was injured, by way of my quirk.

"Then yes," I said, watching as the Noumu once again barrelled down our tree of previous residence.

Momo landed clumsily next to me, grabbing my shoulder for balance. "Was that a lie?" she panted demandingly.

I really wondered if this was the time to have a conversation about the potential existence of a plan to save our lives. We were very busy running for them, after all. "I'm working on it," I answered. "How good are you at making spears and nets?" I asked.

"That's simple," Momo said, sounding insulted. I was tempted to tell her it was rhetorical, but this really, _really_ wasn't the place for a fun debate. I had never really considered how to beat myself, and I suddenly had a better appreciation for everyone else's frustration when sparring with me. Regeneration quirks were tough to handle unless you had a well-suited quirk. But I had a good example to follow, since someone _had_ wiped the floor with me before without an OP ability.

"Then before the Noumu charges, I need you to make a metal net and give me a spear. You're going to jump down and toss the net on it when it reaches here," I instructed, watching the Noumu turn towards us. "Oh, and then run. Fast, 'kay?" My voice was overly sweet, but I was displeased with being argued with at such a critical time.

Momo stared at me for a second, and then the Noumu started running. In an instant there was an iron spear spawning out of her palm and missing my head by inches, as an iron net began pouring out of her stomach. As the Noumu reached out to topple over our tree, Momo jumped, turning and tossing the net over the Noumu's head as she fell, landing in a roll and running away. The chainsaws and blades attached to the Noumu were already starting to make quick work of the net, but a few seconds distraction was all I needed.

Leaping down, I landed feet first on the Noumu's shoulders, using my new spear to brute force my way through the Noumu's skull. Trying to ignore the chainsaws inches away from my feet, I twisted the metal, drew back my free hand, and slammed my fist into the Noumu's vulnerable brain. Wanting to vomit from the feel of squishy, wet tissue between my fingers, I used all my knowledge of anatomy and attempted to think of this as clinically as possible.

The Hero Killer had previously managed to immobilize and nearly kill me by using knives to sever my ligaments and spinal cord. The only reason I hadn't gotten right back up was because he'd left the blades in place, preventing my quirk from regenerating. Therefore, theoretically, if I could locate and crush the beast's brainstem…

I twisted my fist, elbow deep in the Noumu's skull, when the chainsaw blades on either side of me spun to a stop. I felt the instant the monster's muscles slackened, because I had to tighten my legs grip around its neck and try desperately to keep from being dislodged as it fell backwards. Shoulders slamming into the dirt while still clinging to the paralyzed Noumu, I found it hard to really enjoy my victory.

From across the clearing, Momo lowered her handgun from firing position. She looked a combination of impressed and disgusted, which mirrored just about how I was feeling right now. Walking over slowly, she grabbed the metal spear and ripped it out, lifting the heavy weapon off of me and leaving only my arm still embedded.

"That is… creative," she complimented, staring at the blood and gore spattered on my arm with aghast eyes.

I had thought I would better handle the gore, given my experience with having seen my own internal organs and severed limbs, but apparently I wasn't. Swallowing my bile, I responded, "Actually, stole this idea from someone else." There was a long pause, where both of us processed what happened. "Momo, you should follow Monoma and try to warn the others-"

"Absolutely not," she refuted. I clenched my jaw at the interruption. Apparently I had been spoiled by Monoma and the boys' cooperation, who knew? "We are in a dangerous situation and you are in no position to defend yourself. I am _not_ abandoning you." I wanted to protest, but that was a fairly reasonable argument. I was going to insist again, for solidarity's sake, when Momo smirked. "Besides, I have a plan, since this is the second time the Villain Alliance has decided to interrupt my class' exercises. I have a duty as class officer, after all."

Seeing the wicked gleam in Momo's eyes, I found myself getting excited. Whatever she was planning sounded exciting, for sure.

* * *

Somehow, Monoma had been convinced to start running _back_ towards Kurosaki and the Noumu. Somewhere between Todoroki declaring Kurosaki had died before and Bakugo exploding into the sky, Monoma and Tsurababa had started running. Monoma only had a minute or so left of his regeneration, so he'd taken it upon himself to copy all the quirks in his vicinity already. Bakugo was free to get pissed about it once they were safe.

Falling back to allow Tsurababa get ahead, Monoma used Todoroki's fire quirk to begin melting the ice path said teen was creating a few meters ahead. No point in making them even easier to track than they already were. Bakugo was running right behind Todoroki and using explosions to blast stray tree branches and rubble out of the way, which wasn't exactly inconspicuous.

Monoma wasn't entirely certain what the plan here was supposed to be. He assumed they were heading back to help Kurosaki handle the Noumu, and then flee for the headquarters as a unit, but it was difficult to be certain with people like Bakugo on the team. For all he knew, the blonde would declare a villain-hunting competition and get them all killed. Good thing they were heading for Kurosaki then, she could handle him better-

Hearing an odd rustle, Monoma glanced to the side. A flaming stick crashed downwards, nailing him in the face. With a hiss of surprise, he hurled the stick away, feeling his skin itch with the now familiar feel of something healing.

Suddenly there was a masked man in a top hat standing between him and Tsurababa. Monoma screeched to a stop as the panicked Tsurababa failed to notice and charged ahead.

"You're the 'regen-brat', then?" The man said. Monoma instantly tensed. This guy was villain, they were after Kurosaki? For a moment, Monoma cursed the fact he'd never bothered to question the others more about the Class A villain encounters, clearly there was information he was missing. Raising his arm to explode the villain away from him, Monoma felt something click into place, and knew nothing more after that.

* * *

 **Mailbox**

* * *

 **DianceDiamond:** yep! Although in the one shot I didn't really focus on it, villains do have soulmates like everyone else.

 **bbymojo:** okay, so I've been working on part two for almost a year now. The issue is I've never really written (or experienced) romance before, so it's really difficult for me to actually finish it. I keep writing and scraping it. It will be out eventually though. Hopefully. Also, thank you so much! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated, I'm probably never going to be back on schedule like I was before at this point, but know that reading your review was one of the main reasons I sat down and started writing again after many months. I will make sure you don't have to wait so long again anytime soon!

 **SilverBladeStar:** I will fix that, adding to the list of revisions to be made. Thank you. Guest: Cliff-hangers galore! Thank you!

 **Snickerdoodle97:** Thank you for the high compliment! Hopefully it stays that way! :)

 **RainbowMaze:** Thank you very much, I hope you didn't cry too much though. I actually had a friend(?) back in elementary school who had a stutter, he inspired Ichigo's behavior in this story. We were never very close, but he said that he usually liked to talk to me since I never judged him. I was the quiet bookworm in the back. To hear from someone who experienced Ichigo's problems firsthand that she comes across as true is a great compliment to my writing skills, so thank you so much for that. I did a lot of research about stuttering and homelessness leading up to writing this. BNHA does a great job with world building, but there are certain issues not touched upon that no amount of heroes could ever fix. Addressing your second comment: so there's 3 reasons for Ichigo's shortness. 1) it's a physical part of her quirk, her mother and grandfather were very short as well. 2) she was a premie. 3) she's actually a year younger than all the other students. So she'll still grow a bit, but I don't ever see her cracking 5 ft. As for future romance... my parents are 5'2 and 6'7, so to me that's pretty normal XD. It actually can look pretty adorable. Your question about Ichigo's hair and growth: Hair is actually made of dead cells, which is why Ichigo's hair grows super fast but not the rest of her body. Her quirk isn't rapid growth, its rapid reset, which is why she doesn't grow taller but things like hair and nails grow super fast. If that makes sense?

 **BluePhoenixRising15:** I'm glad you loved the cooking chapter! It actually took me forever to write since I had to come up with the trial ideas on my own, but once I sat down and started really writing and not planning it all seemed to come together. The characters really seemed to just write themselves, y'know?


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